SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Lost/Stolen Property

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will list those items valued at more than £50 which have been stolen or lost from her Department in each of the last four years.

Harriet Harman: I am not aware of any departmental property being stolen from or lost by the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers during the years 1998–2001.
	The details of the other Departments for which the Attorney-General is responsible are as follows:
	Crown Prosecution Service
	1998–99
	One computer valued at £2,000 (stolen). One laptop computer valued at £800 (stolen).
	1999–2000
	Two computers valued at £4,000 (stolen). One laptop computer valued at £2,842 (stolen).
	2000–01
	One mobile telephone valued at £170 (stolen).
	2001–02
	One mobile telephone valued at £150 (stolen).
	Treasury Solicitor's Department
	1998
	One mobile telephone valued at £95 (stolen). Three dictaphone machines valued at £196 (stolen).
	1999
	Nil
	2000
	Nil
	2001
	One mobile telephone valued at £174 (stolen). One laptop computer valued at £850 (stolen). Five mobile telephones valued at £870 (lost).
	Serious Fraud office
	1998
	One mobile telephone valued at £65 (lost)
	1999
	One dictation machine valued at £84 (lost).
	2000
	One mobile telephone valued at £65 (stolen). One mobile telephone valued at £65 (lost).
	2001
	Two mobile telephones valued at £130 (stolen). One laptop computer valued at £1,600 (stolen). One mobile telephone valued at £65 (lost).

DEFENCE

Victoria Cross

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about (a) the criteria and (b) the procedure for awarding the Victoria Cross.

Lewis Moonie: The Victoria Cross is awarded for most conspicuous gallantry of the highest order during active operations 1 . As such it is the highest award available for operational gallantry. Lesser degrees of operational gallantry are recognised by awards of the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, Military Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross and a Mention in Despatches. Recommendations for any of these awards are initiated by the service man's or service woman's Commanding Officer and considered by Committees at various levels in the Ministry of Defence. The Committees consist mainly of senior officers of all three services who will have had considerable operational experience. Successful recommendations are passed to the Queen for her approval. The awards are then published and recipients invited to a State Investiture where they are invested by the Queen or her representative.
	The Victoria Cross along with the other awards for operational gallantry may be awarded to all ranks of the naval, military and air forces of the United Kingdom, all members of the Merchant Navy and civilians serving under the orders of any of the above forces. All these awards may be made posthumously.
	1 This is expanded on in the Third Clause of the Royal Warrant for The Victoria Cross which reads: "It is ordained that the Cross shall only be awarded for most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy".

Tanzania

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of benefits there are going to be to Tanzania from the deal to supply a military air traffic control system.

Lewis Moonie: Export licensing decisions are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Trade and Industry. The Ministry of Defence provides advice to the DTI, together with the other advisory Departments, as appropriate. Following the policy set out by previous Governments, the Government do not comment on individual export licence applications for reasons of commercial confidentiality. Details of export licensing decisions will continue to be published in the Government's annual report on strategic export controls and will be subject to retrospective scrutiny by the all-party Quadripartite Committee.

A400M/C130J

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the projected noise footprint of the A400M; and what is the noise footprint of the Hercules C130J.

Lewis Moonie: The A400M aircraft will meet all current international noise regulations, but exact noise characteristics will not be known until the aircraft's development and flight tests have been completed. The C130J aircraft meets all relevant US Federal Aviation Authority civil noise regulations. The Ministry of Defence does not hold noise information on the C130J in the form requested. We expect the noise characteristics of the A400M and the C130J will be similar. But their overall noise impact should be less than that of the C130K aircraft they are replacing, because significantly greater usage of ground simulators for training will reduce the overall number of flights.

A400M

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the RAF will take delivery of the A400M; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The in-service date of the A400M, defined as acceptance into service of the seventh aircraft, is 2010. We expect delivery of the final (25th) aircraft to be in 2014.

Vehicles

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to increase the use of British-built vehicles by the MOD Police.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 15 January 2002
	Purchases of vehicle for the Ministry of Defence Police are made on the basis of best value for money. We are pleased to procure British-built vehicles where they meet our requirements and offer best value for money. We have no plans designed to increase the proportion of British-built vehicles at the expense of these key criteria.

Vehicles

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the benefits are of operating one Toyota and one Mitsubishi for the MOD Police; and what competition there was for this requirement.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 15 January 2002
	The Toyota and Mitsubishi are used for specialist police operation and were selected primarily on the basis of operational requirements. As such the requirement was not subject to competition.

Territorial Army (Pay Awards)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what targets exist for settling arrears of pay for Territorial Army service men and women.

Lewis Moonie: Arrears of pay claims for Territorial Army soldiers are actioned within a 10 day target of receipt of all supporting documentation.

Territorial Army (Pay Awards)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about delays in paying Territorial Army soldiers.

Lewis Moonie: I am unaware of any current delays existing with payments to Territorial Army soldiers.

Territorial Army (Pay Awards)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Territorial Army service men and women have arrears of pay outstanding in excess of (a) two months and (b) three months.

Lewis Moonie: There are currently no cases recorded centrally for arrears of pay being outstanding in excess of two and three months.

Operation Veritas

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the procedure for considering gallantry awards in Operation Veritas.

Lewis Moonie: The procedure for considering gallantry awards for Operation Veritas will be identical to that used for all other operations. Recommendations for awards, whether they be for gallantry or meritorious service, are initiated by an individual's commanding officer and passed to the Ministry of Defence where they are considered by various Committees. Successful recommendations are then submitted to the Queen for her approval prior to publication. Lists of operational awards are published biannually each spring and autumn and notified to the press. The names of certain recipients may have to be withheld in the interests of personal security.

Ministry of Defence Police

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the complement, gender and ethnic balance of the Operational Support Unit of the Ministry of Defence Police is; what the OSU's annual running costs are for the current financial year; if he plans to increase the budget for running costs for 2002–03; if he will make a statement on the base of the OSU; and what changes are planned in these arrangements.

Lewis Moonie: The complement (as at 1 January 2002) of the Operational Support Unit was 50 and the strength 45, which included six female officers and one member of an ethnic minority. The budget allocated for the OSU, for the current financial year, is £2.651 million. While there are no plans to relocate the OSU based at MDP Wethersfield, approval has been given to form a second OSU (of 50 personnel) based at a location in the north of England.

Retirement Age

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to change his Department's normal retirement age policy; and when he will make an announcement.

Lewis Moonie: In the Ministry of Defence some 60,000 civilian employees, two thirds of the work force, have the option to retire at any time between age 60 and 65. The MOD has been reviewing the case for giving the remainder, who have a normal retirement age of 60, the same option. Our review is nearing completion and we expect to be able to announce its findings in the next few weeks.

Nuclear Test Veterans

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had on changes to the Government's position on nuclear test veterans following the decision of the Pensions Appeal Tribunal in the case of Tom Duggan.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 17 January 2002
	No such discussions have taken place.

Colchester Garrison

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the new living accommodation for soldiers at Colchester Garrison will be ready for occupation; if he plans to allow the public to view the new buildings; and if there will be an official opening ceremony.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 18 January 2002
	We expect that the first of the new single living accommodation (SLA) will be ready for occupation by mid-2005, with the remainder, along with the rest of the garrison, completed two years later. There are no plans to invite the public to view either the SLA or the working accommodation. We intend to have an opening ceremony when phase 1 of the private finance initiative is completed.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures his Department has to ensure environmental appraisals are undertaken prior to (a) administrative and (b) policy decisions being made.

Lewis Moonie: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence signed a policy statement dated 7 July 2000 on the Management of Safety and Environmental Protection in the Ministry of Defence. That policy statement requires that, within the United Kingdom, the MOD will carry out environmental policy appraisals of all new and revised policies and equipment acquisition programmes and environmental impact assessments of all new projects and training activities.
	The policy statement, together with guidance on the conduct of environmental appraisal and environmental impact assessment, has been published recently as part of Amendment 4 to Joint Service Publication (JSP) 418, the MOD's Environmental Manual.
	Copies of JSP 418 are in the Library of the House, and arrangements are in hand for copies of Amendment 4 to that publication to be placed in the Library of the House.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the last occasion was on which he requested an environmental appraisal before making a policy decision.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials from his Department have attended the environmental appraisal and integration into policy training course run by the Civil Service College.

Lewis Moonie: No officials from the Ministry of Defence attended the first environmental appraisal and integration into policy training course run by the Civil Service College in July 2001. Details of this course, and others provided by the Civil Service College to support the initiatives of sustainable development, have now been published as part of Amendment 4 to JSP 418, the MOD's Environmental Manual.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many environmental appraisals have been published by his Department since 1 January 2001; and if he will list the last four.

Lewis Moonie: None. The last environmental appraisal published by the Ministry of Defence was the Strategic Environmental Appraisal of the Strategic Defence Review. This document was published in June 2000.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to appraise the environmental implications of its Spending Review submission to the Treasury.

Lewis Moonie: Sustainable development has been identified as an overall theme for the Spending Review. In common with all other Government Departments with a Public Service Agreement, the Ministry of Defence will be reporting on the impact of its Spending Review proposals on sustainable development. That appraisal process will take an integrated approach to the environmental, social and economic elements of sustainable development.

West Freugh Airfield

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what external consultants he (a) has engaged and (b) plans to engage to assess the commercial potential of West Freugh airfield in Wigtownshire.

Lewis Moonie: No external consultants have been engaged by the Ministry of Defence to assess the commercial potential of West Freugh airfield. QinetiQ, which conducts day-to-day operations at the airfield on behalf of MOD, has, with its contractors, studied the opportunities for diversification. This work concluded that there are few commercial opportunities for development of the airfield. MOD has no plans to engage external consultants to assess the commercial potential of the airfield.

DERA (MOD Police)

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's Police are employed at DERA establishments and facilities in the UK; and how many were employed in each year since the formation of DERA.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

DERA (MOD Police)

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on replacing MOD Police with private security at DERA establishments.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has received the following representations concerning the withdrawal of Ministry of Defence Police officers from the QinetiQ sites at Pendine, Schoeburyness and West Freugh:
	Two from the Defence Police Federation
	One from a member of the public
	Three in the form of MP's letters
	One in the form of a parliamentary question.

Army Training Regiment Bases

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of Army Training Regiment bases in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland.

Adam Ingram: There are currently five Army Training Regiments (ATRs) in England and Scotland; there are none in Northern Ireland although Depot Royal Irish conducts initial training for the Royal Irish Regiment and of very small numbers for other Irish Regiments. It is planned to transfer the training functions from the Glencorse site in Scotland to the School of Infantry at Catterick in north Yorkshire. There will be changes to the way in which training is conducted at the remaining four sites—Bassingbourn in Cambridgeshire, Pirbright in Surrey, Winchester in Hampshire and Lichfield in Staffordshire. ATR Bassingbourn will concentrate on junior entry training, and the others will conduct non-infantry adult entry training. These changes will take place during the course of this year.

Whittington Barracks

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what plans he has to move the Army Training Regiment from the Whittington barracks near Lichfield;
	(2)  what plans he has to sell land occupied by the Whittington barracks near Lichfield.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has no plans to either move the Army Training Regiment from Whittington barracks, near Lichfield, or to sell the land occupied by the barracks.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Wind Farm (Cefn Croes)

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the reasons are for the decision not to hold a public inquiry into the proposed wind farm at Cefn Croes in Ceredigion.

Patricia Hewitt: As with any planning decision Ministers have to weigh up all aspects of an application, consider all representations—both for and against—and come to a decision. In the case of the Cefn Croes application it was concluded that there was sufficient information to approve the application in principle without sending it to a public inquiry.

Wind Turbines

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the criteria used by her Department for allowing the erection of wind turbines in upland areas, with particular reference to the importance she places on landscape and visual amenity.

Patricia Hewitt: All relevant criteria set out in planning guidance and environmental assessment guidance are taken into account. I also have a duty under Schedule 9 of the Electricity Act 1989 to have regard to the extent to which a person who formulates a proposal has complied with his duty of having regard to the desirability of preserving natural beauty and do what he reasonably can to mitigate any effect the proposal would have on the natural beauty of the countryside. In addition the views of the local planning authority which will be familiar with the local terrain are also taken into account.

Local Post Office

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice she has received from the Postal Services Commission on transitional financial assistance to local post offices from 2003.

Douglas Alexander: The advice I received at the end of last year from the Postal Services Commission on transitional financial assistance to the rural network is currently under consideration.

Energy Sources

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on renewable sources of energy and on the funding which has been made available for such projects since 1997.

Brian Wilson: In the four-year period 1997–2001, the Department of Trade and Industry provided a total of £61.1 million for the support of research and development in renewable energy. Over the same period, total indirect support for renewable energy provided through the Fossil Fuel Levy was £374.8 million.
	For the three-year period 2001–04, provision for research and development in renewable energy is £80.6 million, and for the newly introduced capital grants for renewables projects, £191 million. It is estimated that indirect support to be provided through the renewables obligation, planned to come into effect on 1 April 2002, could total £687 million over its first two years of operation. Some continuing support through the Fossil Fuel Levy is also expected.
	Looking ahead, introducing the new renewables obligation, exempting renewables from the Climate Change Levy and protecting existing non-fossil fuel obligation (NFFO) contracts will together create a long-term market incentive for renewables expected to be worth over £1 billion per year by 2010.

Energy Sources

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of Britain's energy requirements are found in (a) renewable and (b) non- renewable sources of energy.

Patricia Hewitt: Renewable energy sources provided 1.3 per cent. of the United Kingdom's total primary energy requirements in 2000, and 2.8 per cent. of the electricity generated in the UK.

Fireworks

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many injuries involving fireworks have been reported since 1 September 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: Figures from accident and emergency departments for the 2001 firework period are not yet available. We will publish the figures as soon as possible.

European Directive on Fixed Term Work

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her plans to implement the European Directive on Fixed Term Work.

Alan Johnson: I am today publishing a consultation on the draft Fixed Term Employees (Prevention of less favourable treatment) Regulations 2002. The consultation period will last for 12 weeks, until 15 April, and I look forward to receiving views from as many interested parties as possible by this date. A Government response to the consultation on the fixed term directive that took place from 9 March to 31 May 2001 is also being published today. Copies of both documents have been placed in the Library. The regulations will be made under clause 45 of the Employment Bill. They will prevent fixed term employees from being less favourably treated than comparable permanent employees and transpose the EC Fixed Term Work Directive.

Small Business Service

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions the Chief Executive of the Small Business Service has met the Prime Minister since 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: He has met him six times: 16 December 1999; 30 March 2000; 11 May 2000; 27 November 2000; 17 July 2001; 6 November 2001.
	He also has regular contact with No.10 via Private Office and No.10 Policy Unit.

Mobile Phones

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will introduce measures to require the manufacturers of mobile phones to provide stronger deterrents to theft in their products.

Douglas Alexander: Mandating anti-theft measures in the short-term would be disproportionately expensive. In the longer term, the operators and manufacturers are working with the Home Office and the DTI to investigate ways in which mobile phone handset security might be improved.

Galileo Project

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has made to the European Commission concerning the Galileo project.

Patricia Hewitt: I have made no representations to the Commission. The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions leads for the UK in discussions with the European Commission on the Galileo project. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport attended the most recent Transport Council meeting on 7 December and I would refer my hon. Friend to his report on 12 December 2001, Official Report, column 875W.

Galileo Project

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the concerns expressed to her by the United States Government on the Galileo global positioning system.

Patricia Hewitt: The UK Government are aware of the US Government's concerns over technical, trade and security aspects of the Galileo project. Galileo is a European Union (EU) project, on which the European Commission leads in negotiations with the US. The UK participates fully in these and will continue to seek an acceptable way forward.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 27 November 2001 with regard to Mr. J. McHugh.

Patricia Hewitt: My right hon. Friend's letter of 27 November on behalf of his constituent Mr. J. McHugh has been transferred to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for the reply, as the subject falls within her responsibilities.

Fraud

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate her Department has made of the cost to its budget since 1 May 1997 of fraud; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: Cases of fraud and irregularity involving staff and direct contractors are reported annually to the Treasury for inclusion in the Treasury Fraud report which is laid before Parliament. From April 1997 to date the total value of losses reported as due to fraud and irregularities is £197,445. When taken as a proportion of DTI expenditure for the same period this represents a loss of less than 0.002 per cent.
	No large organisation is totally free of fraud but we continue to promote an environment of zero tolerance and to act promptly in all suspected cases of impropriety.

Public Relations Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent by (a) her Department and (b) bodies for which it is responsible on external public relations consultants in each of the last five years.

Patricia Hewitt: Information on expenditure of this kind is not held centrally and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

Consignia

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the occasions in the last six months when (a) she, (b) her ministerial colleagues and (c) their private offices have had (i) meetings, (ii) telephone conversations and (iii) correspondence with executives of Consignia.

Patricia Hewitt: Our records show that my hon. Friend the Minister for E-Commerce and Competitiveness and I have had five meetings with executives of Consignia in the last six months. In addition, supporting these meetings, there have been a number of telephone conversations and 12 items of correspondence with Consignia executives.

Export Licence Applications

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list, for each of the last five years, the number of export licence applications that have been (a) approved and (b) rejected in respect of products that have a potential military end use.

Nigel Griffiths: The number of export licence applications in respect of items controlled for strategic reasons that have been approved and rejected since 1997 are published in the Government's annual reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 annual reports are available in the Libraries of the House.
	The 2001 annual report on Strategic Export Controls will be published as soon as possible.

Scientific Research Budget

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has for the Department's scientific research budget; and what impact this will have on (a) continuing research projects funded by her Department and (b) future schemes (i) earmarked for and (ii) hoping to receive departmental funding for scientific research and development.

Patricia Hewitt: The Spending Review 2000 set the Science Budget provision for the years 2001–02 to 2003–04. My Department published an account of how the budget was to be allocated—principally among the research councils—over that period in November 2000 "Science Budget 2001–02 to 2003–04", Department of Trade and Industry. A copy was placed in the Libraries of the House and the document is available on my Department's website at http:// www2.dti.gov.uk/ost/whatsnew/index.htm.
	Like all Government Departments, my Department is at present planning its input to the next spending review which covers the period 2003–04 to 2005–06 and it is too soon to say what the level of provision for the science budget will be in those years.
	Some of the funding allocated to the research councils in the last spending review was earmarked at a high level for specific areas of research: genomics, e-science and basic technology. However, decisions about funding of individual science research projects—whether in these earmarked areas or not—are, by long-established convention, matters for the research councils, not for my Department.

Distance Selling

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the regulation of distance selling.

Melanie Johnson: Consumer protection laws, such as the Sale of Goods legislation, apply equally to distance selling as when shopping on the high street.
	In addition, the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations came into force on 31 October 2000 and cover all forms of distance selling, including shopping over the internet, telephone or catalogue.
	The main provisions of the regulations are:
	The right to receive clear information about the goods or services before deciding to purchase;
	Confirmation of this information in writing;
	A cooling off period of seven working days during which the consumer can cancel the contract;
	Unless agreed otherwise with the supplier, the right to receive goods or services within 30 days;
	Protection against payment card fraud;
	Protection against cold calling.

Market Research

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what expenditure has been incurred by her (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each of the last four years on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; and if she will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department does not centrally collect the information sought at the required level of detail, and to provide it would entail disproportionate cost. Where surveys are conducted which may be considered to contain an element relating to opinion polling; focus groups; or other forms of market research, it is not possible to identify separately the costs of that element.

Assisted Area Status

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will commence planning for the review of assisted area status due in 2006.

Alan Johnson: The assisted areas map is constrained by European Commission rules and guidelines which, based on past experience, are likely to change before the next review. If the timetable for the next map were to repeat that which led to the current map, detailed consideration of individual areas would start during 2005.

Assisted Area Status

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact on areas of the removal of assisted area status by the implementation of the Assisted Area Order 2000.

Alan Johnson: None. Assisted area status allows, but does not require, public authorities to pay regional state aid to companies in those areas; in itself it does not affect an area.

Depleted Uranium

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what quantity of depleted uranium is in use in civil non-nuclear applications in the United Kingdom; to what uses the DU is put; what disposal facilities exist for waste DU metal and its undiluted compounds; and in what quantities and where unused DU is stored.

Nigel Griffiths: A report on depleted uranium has recently been published by the Environment Agency: "Depleted Uranium: A Study of its Uses within the UK and Disposal Issues" (Reference R&D Technical Report P3–088/TR), copies of which are available from the Environment Agency. This report provides details on the quantities, uses and storage of depleted uranium in civil non-nuclear applications in the United Kingdom, and describes, among other areas, the safeguards arrangements for the depleted uranium. Issues relating to the disposal of radioactive materials, including waste depleted uranium metal and its undiluted compounds, are a matter for the Environment Agency.

Carbon Monoxide

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to reduce accidents caused by the inhalation of carbon monoxide from coal and oil-fired appliances.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 17 January 2002
	The DTI is continuing to work with other Government Departments and industry to increase awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide among consumers. Specifically our activity has included a mobile exhibition units road show targeted at areas with the highest occurrence of carbon monoxide related incidents and dissemination of advice through information toolkits and leaflets. This continues to be a priority area for consumer safety.

Ceramics

George Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the safeguard provisions and implementation relating to the phasing out of ceramic import quotas from China to the United Kingdom.

Nigel Griffiths: In bilateral negotiations on China's Accession to the WTO, the European Community and China agreed to phase-out existing import quotas. EU import quotas on Chinese ceramics will be eliminated on 1 January 2005. The terms of China's accession to the WTO include an additional safeguard mechanism available for 12 years to guard against damaging import surges.

Ceramics

George Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action is being taken in the World Trade Organisation on tariffs on United Kingdom imports of pottery catering wares into the United States; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms Walley) on 16 January 2002, Official Report, column 322W.

Sub-post Offices

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when a decision will be made on the future of the urban network for sub-post offices.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 18 January 2002
	Government have agreed in principle to support the compensation package negotiated between the Post Office Ltd. and the National Federation of SubPostmasters for a restructuring of the urban post office network. Detailed discussion continues on the programme and implementation will be carried forward in consultation with interested parties.

Maternity Leave

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of women who left full-time employment on maternity leave returned (a) by the end of and (b) after the end of the statutory maternity leave period to (i) full-time employment and (ii) part-time employment, in each of the last five years.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 18 January 2002
	The latest information available is from a 1996 study entitled "Maternity Rights and Benefits in Britain 1996", Department of Social Security Research Report No. 67, published by the Stationery Office.
	The study included a survey of mothers who had given birth in June 1995 and collected information on their economic activity in spring 1996, some 10 to 11 months after giving birth, and thus after the point at which any statutory entitlement to maternity leave had expired.
	At this point, 34 per cent. of women employed full-time before taking maternity leave had returned to employment on a full-time basis and 35 per cent. had returned to employment on a part-time basis.
	It is not possible to identify the proportions returning to employment before and after their entitlements to statutory maternity leave had expired.
	The Department and the Department for Work and Pensions have commissioned a repeat survey in order to evaluate the impact of the changes to maternity leave arrangements introduced in 1999 and to provide a baseline for evaluation of the changes to maternity arrangements announced in the 2001 Budget and contained in the Employment Bill.

Radioactive Waste

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what records she has of the (a) number of containers, (b) total weight and (c) geographical extent of dumping of radioactive waste which was deposited approximately 250 miles off Land's End during the 1960s and 1970s.

Michael Meacher: I have been asked to reply.
	Details of all UK radioactive waste disposals in the north-east Atlantic have been made public and are available from a number of sources, including the "Report of the Independent Review of Disposal of Radioactive Waste in the North East Atlantic" (HMSO, 1984), copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The report contains data on the location of dumpsites, weight of material dumped, levels of activity and numbers of containers. The information on weight and numbers of containers is aggregated in the report for the whole period from 1949–82 during which the UK disposed of radioactive waste at sea. We estimate that, during the 1960s and 70s, around 41,000 tonnes were dumped in the north-east Atlantic in around 75,000 containers of various sizes and types. Radioactive waste disposals were also carried out in the north-east Atlantic by a number of other countries during this period.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Women

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women what recent discussions she has had with her European Union counterparts on women's issues.

Patricia Hewitt: I met Commissioner Diamantopoulou on 26 November 2001. We discussed a broad range of EU and UK social affairs policy issues, including child care provision, the gender pay gap, family friendly working and the Equal Treatment draft directive.
	I am also looking forward to discussing employment issues with the French Employment Minister, Elizabeth Guigou, in London today. As Minister Guigou's area of responsibility also includes women and equality issues our discussions will cover issues of particular interest to women. My hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office will also be attending the EU Informal Meeting of Ministers for Women to be hosted by the Spanish Presidency at Santiago de Compostela on 18–19 February 2002.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Traffic Calming

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what legal powers local authorities have to introduce passive traffic calming on trunk roads.

John Spellar: Trunk roads are the responsibility of the Highways Agency. Local authorities have no legal powers to introduce passive traffic calming measures on trunk roads.

Rolling Stock

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make it his policy to establish a national test track for rolling stock.

John Spellar: As the Chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority, Richard Bowker, announced in his Strategic Plan published on 14 January, the SRA is carrying out a study of the case for a national test track. The study will report early this year.

Lord Birt

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he last met Lord Birt to discuss transport policy.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the terms of engagement of Lord Birt are in relation to transport matters.

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  if he will publish Lord Birt's study of Britain's transport needs;
	(2)  what terms of reference he has agreed with Lord Birt for his study of Britain's transport needs;
	(3)  on what date he first met Lord Birt to discuss the future of transport;
	(4)  what administrative support his Department is supplying Lord Birt for his study of Britain's transport needs;
	(5)  on what date he last met Lord Birt to discuss the future of transport, with specific reference to the railways;
	(6)  what timetable he has agreed with Lord Birt for the completion of his study of Britain's transport needs.

Stephen Byers: The role of the FSU is to provide internal long-term strategic analysis and policy thinking for the Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers on a range of issues, including transport. Lord Birt is one of a number of external advisers assisting the FSU in its work. It is not our policy to publish Forward Strategy Unit reports. Internal policy advice to Ministers remains confidential.
	The work of the FSU is being carried forward by a small and varying staff, drawn from the PIU and Government Departments. My Department keeps in close touch with the FSU.

Road Deaths

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many deaths there were in motor accidents in each of the last five years for which figures are available in which a contributory factor was (a) consumption of alcohol, (b) consumption of non-prescription drugs and (c) tiredness of driver.

John Spellar: The numbers of deaths in motor accidents where one or more drivers involved tested positive for illegal levels of alcohol are shown for the most recent five years for which estimates are available, together with the provisional estimate for 2000.
	
		Estimates of casualties in accidents involving illegal alcohol levels: Great Britain
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1995 540 
			 1996 580 
			 1997 550 
			 1998 460 
			 1999 460 
			 2000 (provisional) 520 
		
	
	The estimates do not, however, show the extent to which alcohol may have been a contributory factor in the accidents. Statistics are not compiled for drugs or tiredness as a factor.

National Rail Model

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 8 January 2002, Official Report, column 583W, on departmental consultants, when Oscar Faber are due to conclude their work on the development of a national rail model.

Stephen Byers: holding answer 15 January 2002
	The original project specification issued in February 2001 set a completion date of 14 September 2001 for the initial version of the national rail model. The contract with Oscar Faber has since been extended to incorporate further development work and is likely to be extended further either with Oscar Faber or through competitive tender. The original project specification envisaged the further development phase would continue up to September 2002.

London Underground

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish the performance indicators for (a) the Metropolitan Line and (b) other London Underground lines for (i) each of the last 12 months and (ii) the last seven years.

John Spellar: Detailed in-year operational information of this nature is a matter for London Underground.
	London Underground has provided the information in the following table giving a line by line breakdown of the percentage of scheduled train kilometres operated in each full financial year since 1995–96. During the same period, the total number of train kilometres operated has increased by 11.5 per cent. from 57.2 million kms in 1995–96 to 63.8 million kms in 2000–01.
	
		London Underground—Percentage of scheduled train kilometres operated, by line, by financial year
		
			 Line 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Bakerloo 94.6 91.4 93.6 92.5 90.5 82.6 
			 Central 97.5 95.3 95.1 95.2 96.5 96.6 
			 Circle and Hammersmith and City 94.6 90.9 93.0 91.4 89.7 81.8 
			 District 98.1 96.0 98.3 97.4 97.0 92.9 
			 East London(1) — — — 92.7 95.7 94.1 
			 Jubilee 98.3 96.4 98.0 97.5 92.7 89.2 
			 Metropolitan 98.1 95.9 98.0 97.5 96.7 95.0 
			 Northern 93.6 94.4 95.5 90.2 94.9 96.5 
			 Piccadilly 95.5 93.5 92.9 89.5 90.9 86.6 
			 Victoria 96.0 95.0 95.1 96.1 97.4 95.8 
			 Waterloo and City 96.3 94.5 98.2 96.9 98.4 96.8 
		
	
	(1) The East London Line was closed between March 1995 and March 1998

London Underground

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many train breakdowns there were in each of the last seven years per underground line.

John Spellar: This is an operational matter for London Underground who have provided the information in the table, showing, for each line on the underground, the number of delays of over two minutes attributed to problems with rolling stock.
	
		London Underground—delays of over two minutes attributed to problems with rolling stock
		
			  1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Bakerloo 1,208 1,216 1,075 1,144 1,237 879 968 
			 Central(2) 2,121 1,739 2,605 2,423 2,165 2,304 2,864 
			 Circle and Hammersmith and City 1,741 609 1,167 2,170 1,380 1,568 1,463 
			 District 1,532 1,218 1,160 1,082 995 981 834 
			 East London(3) — — — — — — 106 
			 Jubilee(3) 1,135 1,156 922 1,239 2,376 1,722 1,603 
			 Metropolitan 1,685 1,687 1,363 1,238 1,065 1,047 1,247 
			 Northern 3,405 3,964 3,505 4,229 5,942 3,727 1,674 
			 Piccadilly 2,113 2,376 2,228 3,115 3,886 2,934 2,609 
			 Victoria 1,290 997 757 994 821 920 1,053 
			 Waterloo and City(2) — — — — — — 27 
		
	
	(2) The figures for the Central line also include those for the Waterloo and City line to 1999–2000
	(3) The figures for the Jubilee line also include those for the East London line to 1999–2000

Car Fuel Efficiency and Emissions

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans the Government have to improve the clarity for consumers of the new car fuel efficiency and emissions labels.

John Spellar: New requirements for labelling of passenger cars were recently introduced into UK law, in the form of regulations implementing EU directive 99/94/EC. This had the effect of adding information on CO 2 emissions to the information on fuel efficiency which was already displayed on labels in the UK. A new standardised format for labels was also introduced.
	The directive requires member states to monitor and report on the effectiveness of these measures and the Government will be an active participant in the subsequent review by the European Commission. In order to better inform the UK position, the Department will shortly be conducting a consultation exercise on options for banded or comparative labelling.

Refurbishment

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his estimate is of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last four years.

Alan Whitehead: The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (Central) has carried out four major building refurbishments valued at more than £1 million which attracted expenditure in the last four years.
	Details of the expenditure are:
	
		£ 
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Relocation—Ashdown house (Victoria) 6,516,488 3,960,801 — 4,307,195 
			 Relocation—Eland house 3,470,301 1,279,561 1,518,702 — 
			 Romney House—GLA — — 1,685,842 — 
			 Relocation—Hempstead house — 240,960 716,497 50,870 
			  
			 Total 9,986,789 5,481,322 3,921,041 4,358,065

Ordnance Survey

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received on the use of National Interest in Mapping Service Agreement funding of the Ordnance Survey.

Sally Keeble: Since the commencement of the National Interest Mapping Service Agreement (NIMSA) in April 1999 I have received two representations, from a Member of Parliament, which included references to the use of NIMSA funding to support colour imagery.

Ordnance Survey

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will provide a table showing the annual payments of National Interest in Mapping Service Agreement funding to the Ordnance Survey in (a) 1990, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.

Sally Keeble: The National Interest Mapping Service Agreement (NIMSA) commenced in April 1999 and is based on the financial year April to March. Detailed is a table indicating the payments made since April 1999. The final figure to be paid for activities carried out during financial year 2001–02 will not be finalised until April 2002.
	
		£ million 
		
			 Financial year Payment 
		
		
			 1999–2000 14.6 
			 2000–01 13.5 
			 2001–02(4) 12.0 
		
	
	(4) To end December only
	Note:
	All figures have been rounded to the nearest £0.1 million.

Ordnance Survey

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether he has agreed that National Interest in Mapping Service Agreement funding for the Ordnance Survey should support aerial photography in colour.

Sally Keeble: No. National Interest Mapping Service Agreement (NIMSA) funding is directed towards the support of non-commercial database maintenance and other uneconomic national mapping activities that Ordnance Survey undertakes in the national interest.
	Aerial photography is used as part of the database maintenance process and NIMSA has always contributed to its use for uneconomic data base maintenance activities.
	The implications for NIMSA funding of Ordnance Survey's decision in May 2001 to change to colour photography, as part of a long term investment to improve services to customers, are currently under review.

Local Government Finance (Wiltshire)

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions he has had with Wiltshire county council about an interim award for 2002–03; if he intends the teachers' pay award to be paid from the revenue support grant; if he will make an extra grant for Wiltshire to cover (a) the duties under the Education Act 1997 to provide full-time education for excluded pupils and (b) the new special educational needs duties in early years; and if he will make a statement on the local government settlement as it affects Wiltshire, with particular reference to education and social services.

Alan Whitehead: The provisional local government finance settlement for 2002–03 continues to give priority to education and social services. Provision for spending on education overall will increase by £2.1 billion or 8.7 per cent. Personal social services will increase by £684 million or 6.5 per cent. Wiltshire benefits from this extra money. Wiltshire's provisional education standard spending assessment increase for 2002–03 is £11.58 million or 6.5 per cent. We have been consulting on our proposals and have not met individual councils during this time. We have been carefully considering all representations on the provisional settlement as we take final decisions.
	Wiltshire will also benefit from the overall increase in standards fund grant of £160 million and an increase in the direct grant for schools of 2.75 per cent. The increase in the education SSA already takes account of the prospective increase in teachers' pay, the duties under the 1997 Act to provide full-time education for excluded pupils and the new special educational needs duties in early years.

Galileo Project

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 3 December 2001, Official Report, column 53W, on the Galileo Project, and following the EU Transport Council meeting of 7 December 2001, if he will make a statement on the UK's commitment to the Galileo project.

John Spellar: I refer the hon. Member to my report of the Transport Council, which includes an account of discussions on Galileo, pursuant to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Clydesdale (Mr. Hood) on 12 December 2001, Official Report, columns 875–77W.
	Following the Transport Council, the Laeken European Council reaffirmed the strategic importance of Galileo. It also invited the Transport Council to continue its work on the project with a view to deciding on funding for, and management of the development phase by next March and June respectively. The council was asked to take account of a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) on the project, which the European Commission issued only on 22 November.
	In principle the Government support Galileo, but, as my report of the Transport Council indicates, we and some other member states have outstanding concerns about cost-benefit, financial viability and management aspects of the project. Some of these issues are addressed by the PWC report. But PWC make clear that the system is likely to require more public funding than the Commission previously estimated, including ongoing support through the operational phase.

National Rail Academy

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the estimated annual running cost is of the proposed National Rail Academy.

John Spellar: The concept of a National Rail Academy is still at a very early stage. The Strategic Rail Authority has commissioned the Rail Industry Training Council to consult with the industry on the establishment of such an academy and what form it might take. Until these facts are known it is premature to estimate running costs.

Trans-European Rail Network

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions in what circumstances the European Commission would have decision-making rights over an application for a derogation under Directive 96/48/EC and 2001/16/EC.

John Spellar: The European Commission, normally acting on a qualified majority vote of member states, will decide on all derogations sought on the grounds that application of the technical specifications for interoperability would compromise the economic viability of an upgrading project on the trans-European rail network. This covers both infrastructure and rolling stock related projects.

Light Rail Schemes

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what light rail schemes are under development and what their estimated completion dates are.

Sally Keeble: Two light rail schemes are currently under construction: the Sunderland extension to Tyne and Wear Metro, which is due to open in March 2002, and Nottingham Express Transit, which is due to open in November 2003.
	Three extensions to the Manchester Metrolink, three lines for Leeds Supertram and South Hampshire Rapid Transit have also been approved. Construction of these lines will probably begin in 2003, and is likely to take around three years.
	The City Airport extension of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in London is awaiting approval under the Transport and Works Act 1992 (TWA). An announcement on that is likely to be made shortly. Transport for London is also considering the possibility of extending the DLR to Woolwich.
	The economic appraisal for two extensions to the Midland Metro was approved in December 2000 and I understand that the promoters will be submitting a TWA application shortly. Whether or not these extensions are built will depend on the outcome of the TWA process.
	Transport for London is currently consulting on proposals for four intermediate mode corridors in London: Cross river, Uxbridge road, Greenwich waterfront and east London. Transport for London's Business Plan states that a light rail or tram scheme is an option on one of these routes.
	There are also proposals for light rail schemes in Bristol, Merseyside, Medway and Hull, and for further extensions to existing systems. These proposals would have to satisfy the Government's appraisal process and obtain TWA powers before construction could begin.

Canvey Island

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what opportunity there will be for the Strategic Rail Authority to provide a passenger station for Canvey Island on an extension of the Stanford le Hope-Tilbury East goods rail link when that link is upgraded.

John Spellar: holding answer 17 January 2002
	The SRA has no plans to provide a passenger station at Canvey Island. If there were a demand for a rail link it would be for the local authority, or other sponsoring party, to raise the matter with c2c and Railtrack in the first instance. If support were required from Government it may be available through the Rail Passenger Partnership scheme, administered by the SRA.

Benfleet Station

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what opportunity there will be to influence the plans of the Strategic Rail Authority to increase the capacity of Benfleet station.

John Spellar: holding answer 17 January 2002
	Through the Incremental Outputs Statement (IOS) scheme the SRA is supporting work to increase the capacity of Benfleet station from 2005–06, allowing eight trains per hour in the peak direction. The IOS programme was designed by the SRA following detailed consultation with stakeholders and the industry, including Railtrack and the Train Operating Companies.

Bus and Rail Integration

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps he will take to secure better integration of bus and rail services.

John Spellar: holding answer 17 January 2002
	Our 10-Year Plan makes a commitment to looking at transport as a whole, matching solutions to specific problems.
	The Strategic Rail Authority's new Strategic Plan describes a number of examples of better integration which are being taken forward and how further progress will be made. Copies of the Strategic Plan are available in the Library of the House.
	The UK transport industry has developed "Journey Solutions", aimed at promoting and improving integration between bus and train. They aim to showcase the best examples of integration across the country as models from which further schemes can be developed.
	At the local level, local authorities, within their five-year local transport plans and bus strategies, have been asked to consider the important contribution that better interchange can make in improving local transport provision. Our guidance to authorities makes clear the need for authorities, in conjunction with their local partners and the transport operators, to provide improvements to both infrastructure and services which can bring about better interchange between different modes of transport.

European/British Railways

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the railways in (a) other European countries and (b) Britain.

John Spellar: Following decades of underinvestment, it is clear that the performance of Britain's railways needs to improve. The 10-Year Plan for Transport and the Strategic Rail Authority's Strategic Plan set out the strategy and resources to improve Britain's rail system and enable us to achieve our objective of benchmarking our performance against railways in other European countries.

Tenancy Deposit Scheme

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will extend the Tenancy Deposit Scheme nationally when the five local pilot schemes end; and which of the two piloted options will be used.

Sally Keeble: We hope shortly to reach a decision on the voluntary pilot tenancy deposit scheme and on such alternative options as there might be for safeguarding tenants' deposits from unjustified appropriation by landlords.

A14

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether in relation to the proposed major A14 improvements included in the Cambridge to Huntingdon multi-modal study, it is proposed that the opening of the new A14 bypass will be contemporaneous with the opening of the remainder of the works to the A14 road.

John Spellar: holding answer 18 January 2002
	The phasing of the proposed improvements to the A14, included in the Preferred Plan of the Cambridge to Huntingdon multi-modal study, can only be addressed when work is more advanced.

Planning Appeals

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many planning appeals have been (a) upheld and (b) dismissed in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Sally Keeble: The information for England on the number of planning appeals allowed and not allowed in 1996–97 to 2000–01 is given in the table.
	
		
			   Planning appeals decided Planning appeals allowed Planning appeals not allowed 
		
		
			 1996–97 12,029 4,210 7,819 
			 1997–98 13,051 4,685 8,366 
			 1998–99 12,991 4,561 8,430 
			 1999–2000 12,575 4,545 8,030 
			 2000–01 12,939 4,525 8,414

Radioactive Material

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make it his policy that accidents involving the transportation of radioactive material are made public.

John Spellar: holding answer 18 January 2002
	Information on accidents and incidents involving the transport of radioactive material in the UK is published annually and placed in the House Library.
	The latest report, "Radiological Consequences resulting from Accidents and Incidents involving the Transport of Radioactive Materials in the UK—2000 Review, NRPB-M1320", was published in October 2001.

Radioactive Material

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list incidents whereby trains carrying radioactive material have been involved in (a) accidents and (b) safety-related incidents in each of the last five years, indicating the (i) date and (ii) location of each incident.

John Spellar: holding answer 18 January 2002
	There have been no accidents or incidents with radiological safety implications involving trains carrying radioactive material in the UK during the last five years.
	Information on accidents and incidents involving the transport of radioactive material by all modes in the UK, including rail, is published annually. The reports covering events in each year have been placed in the House Library.

Radioactive Material

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what regulations cover the transport of radioactive material in the UK.

John Spellar: holding answer 18 January 2002
	The following regulations cover the transport of radioactive material in the UK:
	Road
	The Radioactive Material (Road Transport) (Great Britain) Regulations 1996 (SI 1996 No. 1350).
	The Radioactive Substances (Carriage by Road) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1983 (SR 1983 No. 344).
	The Radioactive Substances (Carriage by Road) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1986 (SR 1986 No. 61).
	Sea
	The Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods and Marine Pollutants) Regulations 1997 (SI 1997 No. 2367); Merchant Shipping Notice No. M 1755(M), "The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Marine Pollutants in Packaged Form—Amendment 30–00 to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code". The Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Packaged Irradiated Nuclear Fuel etc.) (INF Code) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000 No. 3216).
	Air
	The Air Navigation Order 2000 SI No. 1562. The Air Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations 1994 SI No. 3187 and Amendments 1996 SI No. 3100 and 1998 SI No. 2536.
	Rail
	The Packaging, Labelling and Carriage of Radioactive Material by Rail Regulations (RAMRail) 1996 (SI 1996 No. 2090): Approved Requirements for the packaging, labelling and carriage of radioactive material by rail 1996 Edition. The Carriage of Dangerous Goods (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) and Use of Transportable Pressure Receptacles Regulations (CDGCPL) 1996 (SI 1996 No. 2092). The Carriage of Dangerous Goods (Amendment) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999 No. 303).
	The Packaging, Labelling and Carriage of Radioactive Material by Rail Regulations (Northern Ireland) (RAMRailNI) 1998 (SR 1998 No. 132).
	Ports
	The Dangerous Substances in Harbour Areas Regulations 1987 (SI 1987 No. 37).
	Inland Waterways
	British Waterways Board Terms and Conditions: Dangerous Goods BWB 1981, and Schedule of Dangerous Goods ("The Green Book") BWB 1981 (Class 7).

Indian Government Representatives

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he had to meet Indian Government representatives in early January.

Alan Whitehead: holding answer 18 January 2002
	No meetings were fixed. The visit was entirely private and all the costs borne by my right hon. Friend.

Rail Safety

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the (a) dates and locations and (b) materials involved in railway safety-related incidents in the last six months in the north-west of England.

John Spellar: holding answer 18 January 2002
	The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advise that in the period from 1 July 2001 to 17 January 2002 there have been 174 incidents reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) in Railtrack's north-west zone, which covers the north-west of England. However, these figures do not necessarily include all safety-related incidents or details of the materials involved in an incident. A more detailed breakdown of these figures could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what procedures his Department has to ensure environmental appraisals are undertaken prior to (a) administrative and (b) policy decisions being made;
	(2)  how many officials from his Department have attended the environmental appraisal and integration into policy training course run by the Civil Service College;
	(3)  when the last occasion was on which he requested an environmental appraisal before making a policy decision;
	(4)  how many environmental appraisals have been published by his Department since 1 January 2001; and if he will list the last four;
	(5)  what plans his Department has to appraise the environmental implications of its Spending Review submission to the Treasury.

Alan Whitehead: My right hon. Friend receives environmental advice on all policy decisions for which environmental issues are relevant.
	In 1998, the former Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions published "Policy Appraisal and the Environment: Policy Guidance" which gave advice to Departments on when and how to carry out an environmental appraisal.
	The guidance made clear that environmental appraisal is part of the overall policy appraisal process. Accordingly, my Department does not now generally publish free-standing environmental appraisal documents. Environmental implications of the Department's policies and programmes are, where appropriate, set out in the various consultation documents and regulatory impact assessments that form part of our overall consideration of policy.
	In terms of administrative actions, our activities are governed by the Department's greening operations policy statement, published on the DTLR website in December 2001. Proposals for specific projects are assessed in respect of operational need, compliance with policy, environmental benefit, and value for money.
	Since the publication of the 1998 policy guidance, my Department, with others, has been developing an integrated policy appraisal methodology which will be used to assess the likely effect of proposed policies on a range of economic, environmental and social issues. My Department is using a summary version of the methodology to consider the sustainable development implications of our Spending Review submission to the Treasury. Beyond the Spending Review process, and in the light of further development of the methodology, we hope to use the methodology to ensure that full account is taken of all relevant economic, environmental and social factors before policy decisions are made.
	No officials from my Department have so far attended the environmental appraisal and integration into policy training course run by the Civil Service College.

Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will reply to the letter of 4 September from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford with reference to Ms Dearns of Chelmsford.

Sally Keeble: I replied to the letter from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford on Tuesday 25 September 2001, in which I undertook to look into the issues raised. I sent a second, substantive, reply on Friday 18 January 2002. I have forwarded a further copy of this to the hon. Member.

Area Cost Adjustment

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much money Coventry city council will receive from the changes to the area cost adjustment; and if he will make a statement on the shortfall announced in July 2001 due to changes in the area cost adjustment.

Alan Whitehead: The following table compares the provisional standard spending assessment (SSA) for Coventry city council, as announced for consultation on 4 December, with what it would have been if based on the area cost adjustment (ACA) for 2001–02. This shows the effect of updating the data underpinning the area cost adjustment between 2001–02 and 2002–03. The impact of changes to the area cost adjustment is relatively small, at 0.1 per cent. of SSA.
	
		
			  Amount 
		
		
			 2002–03 provisional SSA(5) 283.272 
			 2002–03 provisional SSA using 2001–02 ACA(5) 283.520 
			 Absolute difference(5) -0.248 
			 Percentage difference -0.1 
		
	
	(5) £ million
	The ACA data for 2002–03 that were announced in July 2001 was provisional. The Office for National Statistics subsequently revised the New Earnings Survey (NES) data for 2000 on which these provisional figures were based, in order to include a large number of additional records that had yet to be processed earlier in the year. The final ACA figures for 2002–03 are based on the revised NES data, as it is important that we use the most robust data that are available to us at the time the settlement is made.

Road Safety

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what arrangements there are to grant aid to non-governmental bodies, other than local authorities, to promote road safety.

David Jamieson: I have today announced that the Government have decided to allocate around £200,000 per annum to a road safety grant challenge fund to assist with the cost of projects promoting road safety proposed by organisations other than local authorities. Grant funding is expected to support the Government's road safety strategy and casualty reduction targets for 2010. Individual grants are expected to be for sums up to £20,000.

Speed Cameras

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many speed cameras were located in Yeovil constituency in each year from 1995 to 2002; how much fine revenue has been collected from these cameras in each year; what the net costs of operating the cameras in each year has been; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: This information is not held centrally.

Home Sellers' Packs

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he plans to introduce home sellers' packs.

Sally Keeble: Legislation will be introduced when parliamentary time allows. In the meantime we are pressing ahead, in consultation with consumer representatives and the professional bodies, with developing the detailed contents of the sellers' pack.

Millennium Dome

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the future of the Millennium Dome.

Sally Keeble: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles (Ian Stewart) on 18 December 2001, Official Report, columns 220–221W.

Railtrack

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what legal requirements are placed on the administrators of Railtrack under the Strategic Plan published by the Strategic Rail Authority on 14 January.

Stephen Byers: The administrator has been appointed by the court for the purposes set out in the Railways Administration Order made under the provisions of the Railways Act 1993. Those purposes remain unchanged by the Strategic Plan.

Train Operating Companies

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the European Council's Broad Guidelines of the Economic Policies of the Member States and the Community on the future structure of the rail industry, with particular reference to the number of train operating companies.

Stephen Byers: The Government's policies for the railway industry, including those on rail passenger service competition and franchising, are consistent with the recommendations in these broad guidelines.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Non-career Civil Servants

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many non-career civil servants are employed in his Department and at which grade; how many non-career civil servants have passed the ADC; and how many non-career civil servants he has appointed since 11 June 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: The FCO recruits some members of staff on fixed term contracts, which is what we understand by the term "non-career civil servants". Staff on fixed term appointments are employed on civil service terms and conditions, but their contract of employment has a fixed end date. This category does not cover staff seconded from the private sector. 22 staff are employed on fixed term contracts: two in the senior management structure; 20 in the delegated grades.
	No staff on fixed term appointments have attended an Assessment and Development Centre. Four such staff have been appointed since 11 June 2001.

Southern Rhodesia Act

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all orders made under section 3(1)(b)(i) of the Southern Rhodesia Act 1979, stating the purpose of each order and its duration.

Ben Bradshaw: Four orders have been made under section 3 of the Southern Rhodesia Act 1979.
	The Southern Rhodesia (Expiring Orders) (Consequential Provisions) Order 1979 (SI 1979 No.1445) made provision consequential on the lapse of a number of orders made under section 2 of the Southern Rhodesia Act 1965. The order contained provisions relating to the Reserve Bank of Rhodesia Orders 1965 and 1967, to proceedings against, and liabilities of, the Government of Rhodesia, to the liability of the registrar and trustees of the sinking fund of any stock issued by that Government or for which that Government were responsible and to the records relating to such stock. The order was revoked on 7 December 1979 and replaced by the Southern Rhodesia (Legal Proceedings and Public Liabilities) Order 1979 (SI 1979 No. 1601).
	The Southern Rhodesia (Legal Proceedings and Public Liabilities) Order 1979 (SI 1979 No.1601) replaced the Southern Rhodesia (Expiring Orders) (Consequential Provisions) Order 1979; the subject matter being the same as the order it replaced. The order is still in force and was modified by the Zimbabwe (Independence and Membership of the Commonwealth) (Consequential Provisions) Order 1980 (SI 1980 No. 701) under powers in the Zimbabwe Act 1979.
	The Southern Rhodesia Constitution (Interim Provisions) Order 1979 (SI 1979 No.1571) made temporary provision for the Government of Southern Rhodesia. The legislative and executive powers, and the prerogative of mercy, were vested in a Governor who could give directions as to the authorities by whom executive powers may be exercised. The order also made provision for the revocation or suspension of a number of earlier constitutional provisions and for the suspension of the appeals to Her Majesty in Council. The order was revoked on 20 March 1980 by the Zimbabwe Constitution (Transitional, Supplementary and Consequential Provisions) Order 1980 (SI 19870 No.395).
	The Southern Rhodesia (Sanctions) (Amnesty) Order 1980 (SI 1980 No.565) makes provision for an amnesty, and for discontinuance of criminal proceedings, in respect of offences against certain measures under section 2 of the Southern Rhodesia Act 1965, the United Nations Act 1946 or the enactments specified in Part 2 of Schedule 2 of the order, by which effect is given to resolutions of the United Nations Security Council providing for the imposition of economic or other sanctions against Southern Rhodesia. The order is still in force.

Religious Persecution

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to produce an annual report on the observance of human rights worldwide, with particular reference to religious freedom; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: Promotion of human rights, including freedom of thought, conscience and religion, is at the heart of our foreign policy. We condemn instances where individuals are persecuted because of their faith or belief, wherever they happen and whatever the religion of the individual or group concerned.
	Human rights are inter-related and interdependent. In practice, violations of the right of freedom of religion are often accompanied by violations of other rights; for instance, of freedom of speech and association, freedom from torture and the right to a fair trial. Protecting and promoting freedom of religion is most effective when it is done in the context of the promotion and protection of other human rights.
	The Government were pleased to lay before Parliament their fourth Annual Report on Human Rights on 17 September 2001. The report details what the UK has done to promote human rights abroad. It included a section on freedom of religion in the chapter dealing with democracy and diversity. The section sets out some of the action that we have taken to promote religious freedoms in, for example, Turkmenistan, Pakistan and China.

Iraq

Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what goods on the Military List have recently been approved for export to Iraq.

Peter Hain: Following consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Trade and Industry recently approved a licence to export to Iraq two seal rings, which appear on the Military List, for use in a gas turbine engine at an oil pump station in Iraq. The UN Sanctions Committee approved the export to Iraq of this equipment under the Oil for Food Programme. The Oil for Food Programme allows the export to Iraq of equipment and spare parts required to improve its oil infrastructure. The revenue Iraq is able to generate from the sale of oil funds its purchases of humanitarian goods.

EU-Israel Association Agreement

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he has on whether goods from settlements in occupied territories are imported to the EU as being of Israeli origin; and what discussions he has had with EU partners on action to deal with failings on the part of the Israeli authorities to honour commitments under the EU-Israel Association agreement.

Peter Hain: The General Affairs Council last considered this question on 19 November 2001. Their conclusion, taking into account the results of responses from Israel to inquiries from EU national customs authorities, was that there remained a requirement to resolve the rules of origin issue. The EU side consequently made clear at the 20 November EU-Israel Association Council that it attached great importance to correct application of the Association agreement and would do its best to find a sustainable solution to the rules of origin issue. It noted that, if the Association Council process was not able to find a solution, the EU would have to review its position, in accordance with the provisions of the agreement. Both sides agreed to pursue discussions on this issue.

Overseas Territories Bill

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the first British passports to be available to citizens of the Overseas Territories under the provisions of the Overseas Territories Bill.

Ben Bradshaw: British passports will be made available to citizens of the Overseas Territories once two criteria have been met. First, that the Overseas Territories Bill has been passed and has received Royal Assent. Secondly, that a commencement date for the citizenship provisions of the Bill has been decided by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. This date will be set once satisfactory arrangements for practical implementation, such as passport issue, have been agreed and put in place.

Zambia

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Zambia regarding alleged discrepancies in the electoral process in the recent elections in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: The UK has not yet made any representations to the Government of Zambia about alleged discrepancies in the electoral process during the recent elections there. We await the final report of the EU Electoral Observer Mission, which we understand will be issued shortly, and will examine its findings carefully with our EU partners.

Zambia

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken in response to the recent report of the EU Observer Mission highlighting alleged shortcomings in the electoral process in the recent tripartite elections in Zambia; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: We are aware of reports of irregularities in the administration of the recent Zambian elections. The EU Electoral Observer Mission is working with domestic observer groups to examine these reports and will issue a joint final statement as soon as possible.

Zambia

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what lessons he has drawn from the report of EU observers into the recent Zambian presidential and general elections.

Ben Bradshaw: The final report of the EU Electoral Observer Mission on the recent Zambian elections has not yet been issued. The EU team is working with domestic observer groups, and we understand that a joint final report will be issued shortly. We shall examine its findings carefully with our EU partners.

Islamabad

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the explanatory statement for Islamabad, reference ISB/N7692, will be forwarded to the Home Office.

Ben Bradshaw: The Joint Entry Clearance Unit are seeking information on this case from the High Commission at Islamabad and will write to my hon. Friend about this case in the next few days.

Zimbabwe

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the British High Commission in Zimbabwe last met Mr. Mugabe; and what was discussed.

Ben Bradshaw: The British High Commissioner last met President Mugabe on 25 October, when he accompanied my noble Friend Baroness Amos on a call, as part of the visit by Commonwealth Foreign Ministers to Zimbabwe from 25–27 October. The meeting focused on implementation of the Abuja agreement.

Kenya

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what action he has taken to ensure that the EU observers will be in situ for the Kenyan elections later this year;
	(2)  what measures he intends to take to ensure fair and free elections in Kenya in 2002.

Ben Bradshaw: We are working closely with our development partners, and in consultation with key Kenyan stakeholders, to establish a comprehensive monitoring effort for the elections.

Kenya

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a formal complaint to the High Commission for Kenya over the plans to deforest part of the Mau area in Kenya.

Ben Bradshaw: The British High Commissioner and representatives from the Department for International Development have consistently raised with the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources and other members of the Kenyan Government UK concerns over plans to excise forest reserve.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Ring-fenced Funds

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funds allocated by (a) her Department and (b) its executive agencies are ring-fenced for specific purposes; and if she will list the allocations of funds involved.

Estelle Morris: holding answer 18 December 2001
	Most of the Department's funding is not ring-fenced for any particular programme. The exceptions to this are initiatives running with support from specifically targeted funds. Details of initiatives running in 2001–02 with funding which cannot be diverted into any other programme without Treasury permission are listed:
	
		£ million 
		
			 Initiative   
		
		
			 Student Loans 818 
			 New Deal for Schools 293 
			 Capital Modernisation Fund 232 
			 Of which:  
			 UK Online Centres 141 
			 City Learning Centres 44 
			 Computers for Teachers 5 
			 School Laboratories 30 
			 University for Industry 2 
			 The Cybrarian 2.5 
			 Specialist Schools 7 
			   
			 Child care 162 
			 Sure Start 184 
			 Children's Fund 100 
			 Invest to Save Budget 2 
		
	
	The Department provides grant funding for local education authorities (LEAs) for targeted initiatives, such as literacy and numeracy strategies, the National Grid for Learning, and capital support for schools, through the Standards Fund.
	The Department provides funding for non-departmental government bodies. In a number of cases there is a large amount of discretion for these bodies in how they deploy funds. Such organisations include the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Learning and Skills Council and the Teacher Training Agency.
	Most support for schools and local education authorities (LEAs) flows through the Education Standard Spending Assessment and Revenue Support Grant. This funding is not ring-fenced.

Newspaper Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what has been the expenditure of her (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies on newspaper advertising by title for each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: For details of the advertising spend of the Department from 1996–97 I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 26 February 2001, Official Report, columns 379–80W. Department press expenditure during 2000–01 amounted to £7,323,331.
	Each advertising campaign may use national and regional media. In addition to regional newspapers, advertising space may also be taken in a large number of local newspapers.
	A breakdown on advertising by title could only be supplied at disproportionate cost.
	Information on advertising expenditure by agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally.

School Internet Access

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in the north-east are equipped with internet access.

John Healey: Statistics published by the Department for Education and Skills in October 2001 show that 97 per cent. of schools in England were connected to the internet in April of that year; significant progress from a position where only 28 per cent. were connected in 1998. Our target is that every school should have access to the internet in 2002.
	The Department does not maintain information about internet access in schools on a regional or local basis.

Education SSA (Swindon)

Julia Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much of Swindon's standard spending assessment per pupil was allocated on the basis of pupil numbers alone for the years (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01, (c) 2001–02 and (d) 2002–03.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		Swindon -- £
		
			  SSA per pupil allocated on pupil numbers only(6)  Total education SSA per pupil(6) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 1,871 2,513 
			 2000–01 1,958 2,624 
			 2001–02 2,024 2,681 
			 2002–03 2,134 2,811 
		
	
	(6) For pupils aged four to 19
	Data for 2002–03 are provisional.

Teacher Recruitment Agencies

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what information she has collated on the costs of commission paid by schools to recruitment agencies.

Stephen Timms: This information is not collected centrally.

Sixth-form Education (Worcestershire)

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will announce the amount of the additional payment she will make to the Worcestershire local education authority to compensate for the amount transferred to the Learning and Skills Council for sixth-form education in Worcestershire; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The transfer of sixth-form funding to the LSC from April 2002 will be cost neutral at LEA level—the adjustments to individual SSAs to take account of the transfer will match the payments that LEAs get back from the LSC.
	But we propose to pay a special grant to a minority of LEAs where the changes being made to the funding methodology would not fully eliminate the impact of the funding changes in 2002–03.
	I expect details of the special grant to be released after consultation on the Local Government Finance Settlement has been completed at the end of the month.

Learning and Skills Councils

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance was given to local Learning and Skills Councils on the cost and location of their office accommodation.

Margaret Hodge: Decisions on the location of local LSC offices were taken by Ministers in February 2000, before the LSC became operational. Factors taken into consideration included the need to get best value for public money by using, where appropriate, premises then occupied by Training and Enterprise Councils, regard was also had to ensuring locations that would facilitate effective operation of the LSC. Since it became operational the LSC has been responsible for its local office locations and costs.

Standards Funds

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the Standards Funds received by schools in Hampshire in (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02.

Stephen Timms: The following table shows allocations for the Standards Fund for Hampshire local education authority in 2000–01 and 2001–02. The figures include both Government and local authority contributions. The amount actually paid to schools depends on local expenditure decisions by schools and the local authority.
	
		2000–01 Standards Fund allocations for Hampshire county council 
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Administrative Support for Small Schools 608,000 
			 Advanced Skills Teachers 136,500 
			 Beacon Schools 341,450 
			 Best Practice Research Scholarships 75,675 
			 Class Size Initiative 4,245,393 
			 Developing and Extending Maintained Nursery School Services 24,945 
			 Devolved Formula Capital for Schools 7,605,169 
			 Early Excellence Centres 98,228 
			 Early Years Training and Development 303,077 
			 Education and Health Partnerships 97,995 
			 Ethnic Minority Pupils and Traveller Achievement 397,838 
			 Key Stage 3 Numeracy: Secondary Schools Conference 61,812 
			 Literacy and Numeracy: Summer Schools and Key Stage 3 176,000 
			 Local Education Authority Music Services 1,085,380 
			 Maintained Nursery Capital 11,613 
			 National Grid for Learning 3,858,095 
			 New Models for LEA Services 45,000 
			 New National Curriculum 431,400 
			 Performance Management Training 907,454 
			 Primary Literacy and Numeracy Strategies 2,792,848 
			 Qualifications 197,363 
			 School Improvement 7,239,927 
			 School Laboratories for the 21st Century 550,813 
			 School Leadership 449,904 
			 School Security 510,545 
			 Secondary School Learning Support Units 239,741 
			 Seed Capital Challenge 593,728 
			 Small School Support Fund 440,681 
			 Social Inclusion, Drugs and Youth 1,776,297 
			 Special Educational Needs 741,547 
			 Specialist Schools 756,016 
			 Study Support 160,640 
			 Summer Schools for Gifted and Talented Pupils 63,000 
			 Support for Parent Governor Representatives 1,200 
			 Supported Early Retirement Scheme for Heads 180,399 
			 Teacher Incentives 82,555 
			 Teaching Assistants 2,806,098 
			 Working Environment Fund 485,925 
			 Year 6 Literacy and Numeracy Booster Classes 873,277 
			  
			 Total 41,453,528 
		
	
	
		2001–02 Standards Fund allocations for Hampshire county council
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Advanced Skills Teachers 697,500 
			 Beacon Schools 643,150 
			 Child Protection Co-ordinators 39,600 
			 Children in Public Care 136,330 
			 Children of Asylum Seekers 1,000 
			 Class Size Initiative 5,520,194 
			 Devolved Formula Capital for Schools 11,928,266 
			 Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco 275,510 
			 Early Excellence Centres 89,030 
			 Early Professional Development 950,400 
			 Early Years Training and Development 350,537 
			 Education Health Partnerships 86,634 
			 Ethnic Minority Achievement 250,513 
			 Gifted and Talented Children 72,000 
			 Induction of Newly Qualified Teachers 1,478,967 
			 Information Management Strategy 691,163 
			 Learning Support Units 640,155 
			 Literacy and Numeracy Summer Schools 420,000 
			 Local Education Authority Music Services 882,200 
			 Maintained Nursery School Service 53,663 
			 National Curriculum 427,613 
			 National Grid for Learning 5,595,910 
			 NDS Condition Funding 7,824,772 
			 New Models for Local Education Authority Services 100,000 
			 Performance Management 624,554 
			 Primary Literacy and Numeracy Strategies 3,279,526 
			 Qualifications 66,279 
			 Recruitment and Retention Fund 1,652,000 
			 School Achievement Awards 1,254,260 
			 School Improvement 4,528,000 
			 School Laboratories 1,101,626 
			 School Leadership 721,262 
			 School Security 506,853 
			 Seed Capital Challenge 687,914 
			 Sick Children 38,951 
			 Small Schools Fund 1,739,130 
			 Social Inclusion: Pupil Support 1,768,300 
			 Special Educational Needs 1,421,726 
			 Specialist Schools 854,715 
			 Study Support 1,302,976 
			 Supported Early Retirement Scheme for Heads 240,000 
			 Teaching Assistants 4,184,795 
			 Transforming Key Stage 3 918,789 
			 Traveller Children Achievement 177,231 
			 Year 6 Literacy and Numeracy Booster Classes 975,740 
			 Year 9 Booster Classes 319,500 
			  
			 Total 67,519,234

Grants (Hampshire)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the (a) category and (b) amount of each grant outside the revenue support grant which her Department provided to Hampshire county council in (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02.

Stephen Timms: The following table shows the Department's allocated grants to Hampshire local education authority in 2000–01 and 2001–02.
	
		£ 
		
			   2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Standards Fund 18,843,776 26,224,965 
			 Teachers Pay Reform Grant 5,881,466 7,727,856 
			 Nursery Education Grant (3-year-olds)(7) 1,701,150 (7)— 
			 Nursery Education Grant (4-year-olds) 4,742,626 — 
			 Special Education Needs Co-ordinators (Early Years) — 105,037 
			 Early Years Training and Support 162,700 720,251 
			 Childcare Grant 1,386,320 3,650,169 
			 School Standards Grant(8) 6,701,000 14,593,500 
			 School Budget Support Grant 1,246,115 — 
			 Education Budget Support Grant — 100,000 
			 Education Action Zone(9) 702,000 (9)— 
			 Transitional Funding and Transitional Grant Insurance (former GM Schools) 575,891 358,349 
			 Capital Grant 29,386,000 27,272,000 
		
	
	(7) In 2001–02 Hampshire has received funding for the summer and autumn terms 2001 which amounts to £300,823. For the spring term 2002 it has been allocated up to £3,476,088 to fund early education places for 3-year-olds. This is as a result of a funding re-allocation exercise at the end of the autumn term 2001.
	(8) 2001–02 figures may be subject to change.
	(9) Funding made directly to the Education Action Zone in Hampshire (Leigh Park). Up to £550,000 grant is available to the zone in 2001–02, conditional on the zone receiving £250,000 in eligible private sector sponsorship.
	Note:
	Amounts are in cash terms.

Grants (Hampshire)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the direct grants for schools in Hampshire in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02.

Stephen Timms: A table listing the School Standards Grant payable in respect of each Hampshire school in 2000–01 and 2001–02 has been placed in the Library.

School Statistics

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils there were aged 15 years broken down by ethnic group; what were the average percentage GCSE/GNVQ results of (a) over 5A* to C, (b) over 5A* to G and (c) no passes; what was the average number of (i) authorised and (ii) unauthorised absences for each English parliamentary constituency in the academic year 2000–01; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The overall number of pupils in maintained secondary schools broken down by ethnic group is given in the following table; there are no figures for individual ages.
	
		Maintained secondary schools: number of pupils by ethnic group -- England—January 2000
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 White 2,780,167 
			 Black—Caribbean 44,561 
			 Black—African 37,466 
			 Black—Other 25,397 
			 Indian 83,177 
			 Pakistani 76,131 
			 Bangladeshi 29,876 
			 Chinese 12,318 
			 Any other minority group 79,259 
			 Unclassified 63,475 
			  
			 Total 3,231,827 
		
	
	The primary source of information on GCSE attainment by ethnic group is the Youth Cohort Study (YCS). The YCS is run in alternate years and estimates from the latest survey are provided in the following table.
	
		GCSE/GNVQ achievements by ethnic group England and Wales—1998–99 -- Percentage
		
			   5+ Grades A*-C 5+ Grades A*-G No passes reported 
		
		
			 White 50 91 4 
			 Black 39 86 5 
			 Indian 60 95 (10)— 
			 Pakistani 29 91 4 
			 Bangladeshi 29 88 5 
			 Other Asian 72 93 4 
			 Other minority group 43 89 9 
			 Not stated 26 66 23 
			  
			 Total 49 91 5 
		
	
	(10) Not available (too small sample size)
	Note:
	Estimates exclude pupils in special schools
	Neither of the breakdowns is available for parliamentary constituencies.
	The data collected on authorised and unauthorised absences do not include ethnic group.

Autonomous Schools

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools she expects to have earned autonomy by the end of the current Parliament.

Stephen Timms: We intend to consult widely on the criteria for earned autonomy before regulations are laid. We envisage that these criteria will enable around 10 per cent. of schools, including those succeeding in challenging circumstances, to qualify. At this stage, we are not in a position to say how many schools will qualify by the end of the current Parliament.

Under-performing Schools

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of schools are (a) deemed to have serious weaknesses, (b) under special measures and (c) deemed to be under-achieving by Ofsted inspectors.

Stephen Timms: This is a matter for HM Chief Inspector of Schools and I have therefore asked Mike Tomlinson to write to the hon. Member and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.

Grant-maintained Schools

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if she will list for each local education authority the level of protected funding given by the LEA over that given by her Department as transitional funding to former grant maintained schools in each of the years 1998–99 to 2001–02;
	(2)  if she will list for each year from 1998–99, the transitional funding made available by her Department to former grant maintained schools in England.

Stephen Timms: The Department has not itself provided transitional funding for former grant-maintained schools. Such funding was provided in 1998–99 by the Funding Agency for Schools as part of the schools' annual maintenance grants, and has been provided in subsequent years by local education authorities in accordance with regulations made under section 47 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, with the assistance (in 2000–01 and 2001–02) of a special grant from the Department.

WALES

Standard Spending Assessment (Monmouth)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much SSA per head Monmouth receives; and what the equivalent average figure is for English local government areas.

Paul Murphy: Distribution of the revenue support grant in Wales is a matter for the National Assembly.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Democratic Process

Kevin Brennan: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what assessment the Committee has made of the Electoral Commission's plans to encourage greater participation in the democratic process.

Alan Beith: The committee has approved the commission's five-year plan for 2001–06, which provides for research and advertising campaigns directed at the promotion of voter awareness. It was laid before Parliament on 8 January 2002 and copies are available in the Vote Office. I understand that the commission intends to set out its strategy for promoting voter awareness in more detail in its next five-year plan, covering the period 2002–07, which is due to be considered by the Speaker's Committee next month and published later in the spring.

Euro

Tam Dalyell: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what the anticipated cost would be of conducting a referendum on entry into the euro.

Alan Beith: The Electoral Commission has not to date provided the Speaker's Committee with any estimate for the cost of running a national referendum.
	The commission's five-year plan for the period 2001–06 makes clear that the commission will need to seek additional resources in the event of a referendum being called, but does not attempt to identify the scale of those costs.
	However, I understand from the Chairman that the commission, as part of its normal work, has recently begun to develop its contingency plans for any national or regional referendum, and will be looking at the issue of costs as part of this work.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Compensation Agency

Ian Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the future plans of the Compensation Agency are; and when they will be published.

John Reid: The Compensation Agency will publish today its corporate plan for 2001–04 and business plan for 2001–02. I have set the agency the following 11 key performance targets for 2001–02:
	(i) To process criminal injuries claims for an average unit cost of £290.
	(ii) To process criminal damage and Terrorism Act 2000 claims for an average unit cost of £140.
	(iii) To maintain the average time taken to reach decisions on criminal injuries claims at 45 weeks for claims received from 1 April 2000.
	(iv) To maintain the average time taken to reach decisions on criminal damage claims at 19 weeks for claims received from 1 April 2001.
	(v) To maintain the average time taken to reach decisions on Terrorism Act 2000 claims at 35 days for claims received from 1 April 2001.
	(vi) To reduce by 85 per cent. the number of criminal injuries claims in hand at 31 March 2000 on which no decision had been reached.
	(vii) To reduce by 85 per cent. the number of criminal damage claims in hand at 31 March 2001 on which no decision had been reached.
	(viii) To reduce by 95 per cent. the number of Terrorism Act 2000 claims in hand at 31 March 2001 on which no decision had been reached.
	(ix) To manage the agency's work load in 2001–02 within a running costs budget (to cover salaries and administrative expenditure) to financial limits agreed with the Department (including in-year adjustments).
	(x) To achieve an improvement in the level of satisfaction with the agency's service as evidenced by a further survey, to be conducted by December 2001, of a representative sample of applicants and their legal advisers.
	(xi) To assess claims in accordance with the requirements of the legislation and ensure that the standards of assessment are fair and objective.

PRIME MINISTER

Railtrack

Chris Grayling: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 19 December 2001, Official Report, column 289, if he will publish the documentation to support his reference to the uncovering by the Railtrack administrator of more financial difficulties at the company.

Tony Blair: No. These are matters for Railtrack plc and its administrator. The administrator will lodge a Statement of Proposals with the Registrar of Companies and others, including creditors of Railtrack plc, at a time to be agreed by the court. The statement will therefore be widely available. It will contain the administrator's proposals and strategy for transferring the business to another company or companies and the carrying on of the relevant activities before making the transfer. And as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions told the Transport, Local Government and the Regions Committee on 16 January this will include a statement of affairs from the Directors of Railtrack, that will
	"disclose the level of debt that Railtrack had to serve" and people will then
	"understand why the High Court judge . . . took the decision which he did".

Interception of Communications

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Lewes, of 19 December 2001, Official Report, column 367W, whether his policy in respect of telephone tapping of hon. Members extends to (a) other methods of interception of communications and (b) bugging.

Tony Blair: The policy extends to all forms of warranted interception of communications.
	As to bugging, the position remains as I informed the House on 4 December 1997, Official Report, column 321, the policy applies in relation to the use of electronic surveillance by any of the three security and intelligence agencies as well as to telephone interception.

Ministerial Transport

Bob Russell: To ask the Prime Minister when he last used the railway service in connection with his official duties; what station he left from and what was the destination; and whether it is his intention to make greater use of the railways in future.

Tony Blair: I last travelled by train on 6 December 2001 from Paddington to Reading. I travel making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements, and will continue to use the railway service regularly when appropriate. My travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, Travel by Ministers.

Special Advisers

Frank Field: To ask the Prime Minister which special advisers have the authority to give directions to civil servants.

Tony Blair: Alastair Campbell and Jonathan Powell.

Special Advisers

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Prime Minister what the average time is that the Head of his Department has recommended since May 1997 between a special adviser leaving his Department and taking up outside employment; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: All special advisers are covered by the Business Appointment rules which are set out in full in the Civil Service Management Code. Each case is considered on its own individual merit, and an average of the outcomes would therefore be meaningless and potentially misleading. Individual applications submitted to the independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments for advice are reported on in the committee's annual report.

Russia

Chris Grayling: To ask the Prime Minister what matters in respect of United Kingdom assistance to Russia in its weapons dismantlement and nuclear materials management programmes were discussed in his meeting with President Putin in December 2001.

Tony Blair: At our joint press conference, President Putin and I announced the signature of an agreement to provide £12 million to help destroy Russia's stock of chemical weapons.
	I also said we hope this year to be in a position to complete agreement on assistance for the clean-up of nuclear submarines.

Staff (Terms of Employment)

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what the (a) date and period of appointment, (b) qualification and (c) status of the contract is of each person appointed to (i) the Forward Strategy Unit and (ii) the Performance and Innovation Unit.

Tony Blair: Details of the terms of employment of individual members of staff are confidential.

SCOTLAND

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  when the last occasion was on which she requested an environmental appraisal before making a policy decision;
	(2)  how many environmental appraisals have been published by her Department since 1 January 2001; and if she will list the last four;
	(3)  what procedures her Department has to ensure environmental appraisals are undertaken prior to (a) administrative and (b) policy decisions being made;
	(4)  what plans her Department has to appraise the environmental implications of its Spending Review submission to the Treasury.

George Foulkes: The Scotland Office is a small Government Department with limited programme expenditure and procurement capacity. It has therefore not been necessary for it to carry out any environmental appraisals since its establishment in July 1999. The Scotland Office's management board take environmental considerations into account as part of its normal decision-taking process, including its Spending Review submission to the Treasury.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officials from her Department have attended the environmental appraisal and integration into policy training course run by the Civil Service College.

George Foulkes: None.

Attendance Allowance

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  what plans she has to make representations to the Department for Work and Pensions to reconsider its decision to withdraw attendance allowance to those recipients who will be entitled to receive free personal care in Scotland;
	(2)  if the Scottish Executive received the support of the Scotland Office in its recent dialogue with the Department for Work and Pensions and other Whitehall Departments on the subject of the payment of attendance allowance to those recipients who will be entitled to receive free personal care in Scotland;
	(3)  pursuant to her answer of 15 January 2002, Official Report, column 141, on the Barnett formula, what views of Whitehall were made clear to the Scottish Health Minister by her Office during the consideration by the care development review of the subject of the payment of attendance allowance to those recipients who will be entitled to receive free personal care in Scotland;
	(4)  what plans she has to make representations to the Department for Work and Pensions to secure the continued allocation to Scotland of the attendance allowance money withdrawn from recipients who will be entitled to receive free personal care;
	(5)  pursuant to her answer of 15 January 2002, Official Report, column 141, on the Barnett formula, which other Whitehall Departments were involved in the dialogue with the Scottish Executive and the Department for Work and Pensions on the subject of the payment of attendance allowance to those recipients who will be entitled to receive free personal care in Scotland.

George Foulkes: The Scottish Executive, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Treasury and the Scotland Office had a number of discussions on this matter. These discussions were amicable. Throughout, it was recognised that decisions on care services are devolved and those on benefits are reserved. The Government have made it clear that they are not prepared to transfer resources in this area to the Scottish Executive. The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care, Mr. Malcolm Chisholm, said on 15 January that the discussions were concluded and the matter would not be taken any further.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Human Reproductive Cloning Act

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Advocate-General, pursuant to her answer of 15 January 2002, Official Report, column 169W, under what powers the Human Reproductive Cloning Act 2001 was extended to Scotland.

Lynda Clark: The Human Reproductive Cloning Act 2001 is an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament. This Parliament can legislate on any subject for the whole of the United Kingdom. A United Kingdom Act applies to Scotland unless stated otherwise. As this Act is not expressly restricted in its extent it applies to Scotland. The subject matter of the Act is in any case reserved to the United Kingdom Parliament by section J3 of schedule 5 to the Scotland Act 1998.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Church of England Children's Society

Simon Thomas: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what representations the Church Commissioners have made to the Church of England Children's Society in respect of its decision to cease its activities in Wales.

Stuart Bell: The Church Commissioners' primary legal responsibility is to manage their assets for the financial support of the Church of England's serving and retired ministry. It would not fall to the Commissioners to make any such representations.

Clergy Pensions

Bob Spink: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, how much was paid by the Church Commissioners for clergy pensions in the last financial year; and what the estimate is for the current financial year.

Stuart Bell: In the year ended 31 December 2000, the Commissioners paid £90.6 million for clergy pensions and a further £11.3 million in transitional relief to offset dioceses' costs under the new pensions scheme. The Commissioners also paid pension contributions for bishops and cathedral clergy totalling £1.0 million.
	According to the latest estimate for the year ending 31 December 2001 the Commissioners expect to pay £94.1 million for past service clergy pensions and contribute £7.2 million to dioceses in transitional relief. Pension contributions for bishops and cathedral clergy are estimated to be £1.1 million.

Clergy Safety

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what financial provision is made for improving the personal safety of the clergy on working duty.

Stuart Bell: Financial provision for improving the personal security of the clergy is largely the responsibility of the dioceses. The Church Commissioners offer guidance on security aspects of parsonage house design.
	The Archbishops' Council is currently making inquiries of dioceses about the measures they have in place. Early replies show that local police forces have provided training for clergy on how to recognise and deal with potentially difficult circumstances and that diocesan surveyors are giving renewed attention to the security of parsonage houses.

Clergy Pay

David Drew: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on clergy pay and pensions.

Stuart Bell: The National Stipend Benchmark for clergy of incumbent status with effect from 1 April 2002 is £17,420, an increase of 3 per cent. on the previous year. The full service pension from 1 April 2002 will be £10,693.
	Consultations are currently taking place with dioceses about stipend levels and pensions arrangements. Proposals for change will be discussed by the General Synod in November. Further details can be found in the Central Stipends Authority's forthcoming report for 2001, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.

Churches (VAT)

Joan Walley: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what is the estimated take-up of VAT concessions by churches with listed building status; and what guidance has been issued to assist eligible churches to claim.

Stuart Bell: This scheme is a Government initiative and responsibility rests with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. I understand that the scheme contractor, reporting to the Department, has issued well over 1,000 application forms since the scheme was launched in December last year. The Department has publicised the scheme which includes information available on the internet. The Church of England has issued publicity to parishes and dioceses about the scheme, including contact details for the scheme contractor.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

Fraud

Menzies Campbell: To ask the President of the Council what estimate his Department has made of the cost to its budget since 1 May 1997 of fraud; and if he will make a statement.

Robin Cook: No fraud has been recorded in the Privy Council Office during this period.

Public Relations Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the President of the Council how much was spent by (a) his Department and (b) bodies for which it is responsible on external public relations consultants in each of the last four years.

Robin Cook: None. My Department is not responsible for any other bodies.

Departmental Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the President of the Council if he will commission and publish an independent report on the reasons for the level of sickness absence in his Department.

Robin Cook: I have no plans to do so.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Register of Members' Interests

Lady Hermon: To ask the President of the Council if he will support an amendment to the rules governing the Register of Members' Interests to oblige all Members to make entries within three months of being elected.

Robin Cook: This is a matter for the House. We would consider carefully any views Members put forward.

Equitable Life

Oliver Letwin: To ask the President of the Council if the pension scheme for hon. Members will benefit from special arrangements vis-à-vis transferring out of Equitable Life.

Robin Cook: Equitable Life is one of the providers appointed to provide an Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) facility for members of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund (PCPF). This appointment is made and overseen by the Trustees of the PCPF. I understand that the Trustees have sought clarification from Equitable Life of the terms that will apply if members wish to transfer their funds out of the with-profits fund. The Trustees expect shortly to advise members of the terms offered, so that they can decide whether or not to transfer their funds.

Office Costs Allowance

Frank Field: To ask the President of the Council how many staff paid from the office costs allowance have full time contracts and claim (a) below £15,000, (b) between £15,000 and £20,000, (c) between £20,000 and £25,000, (d) between £25,000 and £30,000 and (e) above £30,000 a year at the latest date for which figures are available; if he will break down these figures to indicate whether the person holds (i) a secretarial personal assistant post and (ii) a research post; and how many people in each pay band are spouses or of the Member's immediate family.

Robin Cook: The information requested on pay levels and job titles, and whether staff are part-time or full-time is not at present readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The Fees Office do not record whether Members' employees are spouses or family members.

Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards

Peter Bottomley: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, which recent letters to the Commission from the Commissioner for Standards have not been published to hon. Members.

Archy Kirkwood: pursuant to his reply, 15 January 2002, c. 152–53
	Following a request from the Committee on Standards and Privileges, the Commission has decided to release recent correspondence between Mr. Speaker and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. I will place copies in the Library.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Ministerial Properties

Tim Collins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the properties used by Ministers for (a) residential and (b) business purposes that are owned by Government organisations.

John Prescott: The official residential properties used by Ministers are as follows:
	The flats above Nos. 10 and 11 Downing street;
	The flat in 1 Carlton Gardens;
	Flats 1, 2 and 3 in Admiralty house;
	Government House in Pimlico.
	Accommodation in Hillsborough Castle is available for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and other Northern Ireland Ministers while on duty in Northern Ireland.
	The Lord Chancellor has an official residence in the House of Lords which is provided in his capacity as Speaker of the House of Lords. The running costs are met by the House of Lords authorities and do not fall to the Government.
	In addition, Chequers, Dorneywood, Chevening, none of which is owned by the Government, are also available to the Prime Minister, me, as Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Foreign Secretary at no cost to the public purse.
	Properties used by Ministers for departmental purposes are set out in the List of Ministerial Responsibilities. A copy of the List is in the Library of the House and is available on-line on the Cabinet Office website.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the last occasion was on which she requested an environmental appraisal before making a policy decision.

Clare Short: As answers to parliamentary questions 29013 and 29015 make clear, environmental appraisal is built in as part of the normal project or programme management cycle. Therefore environmental issues would routinely have been fully discussed before policy decisions are made.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans her Department has to appraise the environmental implications of its Spending Review submission to the Treasury.

Clare Short: Our approach to the Spending Review and our Public Service Agreement is driven by our commitment to the millennium development goals. One of these goals is to ensure environmental sustainability. We therefore seek to integrate environmental considerations into all aspects of our policy and expenditure.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many officials from her Department have attended the environmental appraisal and integration into policy training course run by the Civil Service College.

Clare Short: No one from the Department for International Development has attended the environmental appraisal and integration into policy training course run by the Civil Service College.
	Over the past three years DFID has delivered its own environmental awareness training which has been delivered in both the UK and overseas offices to over 250 staff.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what procedures her Department has to ensure environmental appraisals are undertaken prior to (a) administrative and (b) policy decisions being made.

Clare Short: It is a mandatory requirement that all policies, programmes and projects are subject to environmental screening at the concept note stage. Screening aims to ensure that environmental issues are taken into consideration at the earliest opportunity and to initiate, where appropriate, more comprehensive environmental appraisal and, if necessary, a full environmental impact assessment.
	In 1999, DFID produced an environmental guide. It emphasises that environmental appraisal is concerned just as much with identifying environmental opportunities for improving development outcomes as it is with identifying environmental risks. It also stresses that environmental appraisal is applicable at policy and programme levels as well as at the project level. The guide complements the more detailed 1996 Manual of Environmental Appraisal.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many environmental appraisals have been published by her Department since 1 January 2001; and if she will list the last four.

Clare Short: DFID's regular environmental appraisal procedures are described in response to PQ 2127. It is mandatory within DFID that policies, programmes and projects are subject to environmental screening at the concept stage, with further environmental appraisal to identify risks and opportunities being conducted as required. This work then becomes an integral part of the project documentation, which although not formally published, can be made available to the public on a case by case basis.
	In situations where the environmental screening reveals the need for a formal environmental impact assessment (EIA), the assessment will be undertaken by consultants for the national government of the partner country, with funding and, if necessary, additional international technical assistance from DFID. Publication of the EIA is the responsibility of the partner Government, in accordance with their legislation.
	Examples of formal EIAs since January 2001 include:
	Ngamiland veterinary fences, Government of Botswana, March 2001.
	Impacts of Tsetse Fly Control in Okavango, May 2001.
	Strategic Environmental Assessment for the "Rehabilitation of Feeder Roads in 9 Districts", Ghana Department of Feeder Roads, July 2001.
	Terms of Reference for full EIA of Gerald's Park Airstrip, Government of Montserrat, January 2002.
	DFID development spending has increasingly focused upon resource transfers to sectoral and general budgets. There has therefore been a corresponding decrease in infrastructure work requiring a formal EIA.
	In addition, as part of DFID's commitment to green housekeeping, environmental appraisals were undertaken for the relocation of the DFID London HQ; the consolidation of four DFID offices into one in Delhi, India; and environmental audit was voluntarily undertaken of the DFID Caribbean office; and the DFID Uganda office is to commence an audit in February 2002.

Foreign Aid

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much foreign aid was given by the UK Government to (a) Israel and (b) the Palestinians in the last three years.

Clare Short: The information is as follows:
	(a) Israel is a prosperous country that does not need or require our development assistance.
	(b) The people of the West Bank and Gaza and Palestinian refugees are suffering considerable poverty, and are in need of development assistance. We have disbursed through our bilateral programme to the West Bank and Gaza Strip £5.2 million, £8 million, and £9 million in the last three financial years. We have also contributed £3.4 million, £13 million, and £18.7 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees during the same period. In addition we contribute 5 per cent. of the World bank's resources (about £13 million since 1994), and 17 per cent. of the European Commission's development budget (about £30 million in 2001) to the Palestinians.

Theft and Fraud

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each of the last four years.

Clare Short: The estimated cost to DFID's budget of theft and fraud in the period 1 April 1997 to 31 March 2001 is some £250,000 of which £175,000 can be attributed to contractor fraud. Of the remaining sum, £22,000 relates to the theft of assets which, in line with Treasury guidance, has been classified as involving departmental staff either directly or through collusion. Details of suspected or proven fraud are provided to the Treasury on an annual basis. The annual report that the Treasury prepares on fraud is deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.

Kenya

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what investigations the World bank has undertaken to ensure that senior members of the Government of Kenya and their family members have not laundered money through (a) the City of London and (b) Switzerland.

Clare Short: It is not within the remit of the World bank to undertake such investigations.

Zimbabwe

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the money committed for development assistance in Zimbabwe has already been spent.

Clare Short: DFID plans to provide up to £18 million in development assistance for the 2001–02 financial year. This figure has been fully committed. Over £10 million has already been spent.

Lost/Stolen Property

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list those items valued at more than £50 which have been stolen or lost from her Department in each of the last four years.

Clare Short: Since 1 April 1997 the following items have been stolen or lost from DFID:
	14 laptop computers with a total value of £15,732. The value of each piece of equipment ranges from £730 to £1,642. Computer chips (£1,100), computer equipment (£8,500), one video camera (value unknown), one calculator (£108), one notebook computer (£1,880) and two mobile telephones (£250).

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her recent visit to the Sudan; and what recent discussions she has had with the Sudanese authorities on the implementation of a strategy for peace in that country.

Clare Short: I visited Sudan from 6–11 January and discussed the possibility of taking forward the peace process with the full range of Sudanese political leaders, north and south. I concluded that the time was right for a major international effort to help the parties resolve Africa's most costly and longest running civil conflict. All whom I met expressed their strong commitment to progress on peace, agreed that there was a window of opportunity and expressed their willingness to engage in negotiations. But all doubted they would succeed, given the legacy of mistrust, without outside help, which they thought should include major UK input. I confirmed that we stood ready to play our part. I also emphasised the potential economic benefits for all, and UK readiness to engage in development if stability can be achieved.

Ministerial Transport

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she last used the railway service in connection with her official duties; what station she left from and what was the destination; and whether it is her intention to make greater use of the railways in future.

Clare Short: I last used the railway service on official duty when I took the Eurostar leaving Waterloo International for a meeting of the Development Ministers of Europe in Brussels on 8 December.
	The majority of my work outside London is overseas. However I make use of the railway service if it is the quickest way to a destination.

International Aid

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make education a higher priority within the international aid budget.

Clare Short: Education is a precondition of development and poverty reduction and is given high priority within our development assistance programme. The Government are strongly committed to achieving the millennium development goals of universal primary education (UPE) in all countries by the year 2015 and gender equity in primary and secondary schooling by 2005. DFID's education strategy paper, "The Challenge of Universal Primary Education", sets out our overall approach and three-fold strategy for achieving these goals. Our recent paper "Children out of School" identifies the different circumstances of children who are not in school and proposes an eight-point plan of international action for accelerating progress towards the 2015 target.

European Commission Payments

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the European Commission on delays in payments of money owed by the commission to charities and NGOs.

Clare Short: Delays in payments by the European Commission to NGOs have been discussed on many occasions by member states, including the UK, and the commission. We and others have urged the commission to take the steps needed to improve the handling of such payments since the delays are often excessive and cause real hardship to the organisations and individuals concerned. The commission has improved the management systems used to process those payments and we understand that the delays have been reduced but remain of concern. This is also the case with many payments for implementation of EC programmes in developing countries, where we are also promoting reform. We stay in close touch with UK NGOs about this issue and will continue to monitor the position with them.

Education Charges

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she will take to secure the abolition of education charges in developing countries.

Clare Short: The Government are committed to the principle that primary education should be made free. No child should be denied access to a basic education because the costs, direct or indirect, cannot be met by the household. School fees are an example of a direct cost, but there may be indirect charges for books, uniforms and exams which can make education unaffordable to many.
	The equitable financing of education is a key issue for achieving universal primary education by 2015. Governments of developing countries need to demonstrate the political commitment to abolish education charges. The abolition of primary tuition fees in Malawi and Uganda, brought about by strong political leadership, resulted in enrolment increases of up to 3 million in Uganda and 1.9 million in Malawi. The impact was greatest on the enrolment of girls. Education budgets for proving effective primary education for all should be developed within national poverty reduction strategies and factor in the costs of introducing free primary education.
	In our dialogue with partner Governments, civil society and the international community on poverty reduction and education sector programmes, we will continue to argue for the reduction of the financial barriers that exclude large numbers of the poorest children.

CDC

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  when she expects CDC, formerly the Commonwealth Development Corporation, to meet its target of 50 per cent. of its investment in Africa and poorer countries in Asia;
	(2)  which Minister is responsible for the CDC, formerly the Commonwealth Development Corporation;
	(3)  whether CDC, formerly the Commonwealth Development Corporation, submits an annual corporate plan for ministerial approval.

Clare Short: I am the Minister responsible for CDC. CDC have an investment policy set by Government, which provides the framework within which the board formulates its business plans. The Government do not require these plans to be submitted for approval by Ministers. CDC met the investment policy target for sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia in 2001, when 52 per cent. of the aggregate cost of its investments were for the benefit of these countries.

Market Research

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what expenditure has been incurred by her (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non- departmental public bodies in each of the last four years on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; and if she will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each.

Clare Short: Expenditure in relation to surveys of public attitudes is as follows:
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 1997–98 43 
			 1998–99 0 
			 1999–2000 45 
			 2000–01 58 
			 2001–02 35 
		
	
	Surveys commissioned
	Public Attitudes on Development, conducted by the Office for National Statistics, surveys conducted in July 1999, 2000 and 2001 and results published in November 1999, 2000, November 2001 respectively.
	Attitudes of School Children to International Development, conducted by MORI Schools Omnibus Research, published in July 2000 and 2001.
	In addition we conducted a readership survey in 2000 of "Developments Magazine" in order to test the impact and reach of the magazine.
	We are committed to regular monitoring of public and young people's attitudes to development in order to inform and monitor the impact of the public education work of the Department. All the aforementioned reports are accessible through the Department's internet site and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	None of our current non-department public bodies have incurred expenditure in relation to opinion bodies and/or focus groups.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Crime Statistics (Wales)

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded crimes for (a) violence against the person, (b) sexual offences, (c) robbery, (d) burglary in a dwelling, (e) theft of a motor vehicle and (f) theft from a vehicle per 1,000 population there were in (i) Wales and (ii) the Cynon Valley in the last 12 months.

John Denham: The latest available information covers the 12 months to March 2001 and is given in the table. Separate figures are not available centrally for the Cynon Valley area, which comes within the Rhonnda Cynon Taff police Basic Command Unit (BCU). The BCU figures are taken from the Home Office Statistical Bulletin no. 12/01 "Recorded Crime England and Wales, 12 Months to March 2001", which gives details of all BCU and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership areas in England and Wales.
	
		Recorded crimes per 1,000 population for Wales and the Rhonnda Cynon Taff basic command unit, April 2000 to March 2001:
		
			  Wales Rhonnda Cynon Taff BCU 
		
		
			 Violence against the person 13.0 8.3 
			 Sexual offences 0.6 0.3 
			 Robbery 0.3 0.2 
			 Burglary in a dwelling 4.1 5.2 
			 Theft of a motor vehicle 6.1 7.4 
			 Theft from a vehicle 8.8 6.5

Fraud

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate his Department has made of the cost to its budget since 1 May 1997 of fraud; and if he will make a statement.

David Blunkett: The estimated costs of losses to the Home Office from reported fraud is summarised in the table.
	
		£000 
		
			 Accounting periods Estimated fraud 
		
		
			 1997–98 13 
			 1998–99 84 
			 1999–2000 140 
			 2000–01 90 
			  
			 Total 327

Anti-terrorism Legislation

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the part police forces will play in the implementation of the new anti-terrorism legislation.

David Blunkett: holding answer 22 November 2001
	The police will be at the forefront of the legislation's implementation and additional police powers included in the new legislation will enhance their capability to enforce the law effectively. I am in close contact with the police over on-going action to counter terrorism, using both the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 and existing legislation.

Remuneration

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the number of individuals in his (a) Department, (b) related agencies and (c) related non-departmental public bodies whose annual remuneration including benefits in kind exceeded (i) £100,000 and (ii) £200,000 in each of the last four years.

David Blunkett: The annual remuneration costs including benefits in kind cover basic salary, bonuses and any additional allowances payable including recruitment and retention and any allowance's payable as a result of relocation costs.
	(a) The number of individuals within the Home Office receiving remuneration costs exceeding (i) £100,000 and (ii) £200,000, was:
	
		
			  (i) £100,000 (ii) £200,000 
		
		
			 1 April 2001 7 0 
			 1 April 2000 3 0 
			 1 April 1999 2 0 
			 1 April 1998 1 0 
		
	
	(b) The number of individual within the related agencies of the Home Office receiving remuneration costs exceeding (i) £100,000 and (ii) £200,000 was:
	
		
			  (i) £100,000 (ii) £200,000 
		
		
			 1 April 2001 4 0 
			 1 April 2000 2 0 
			 1 April 1999 2 0 
			 1 April 1998 1 0 
		
	
	(c) The information requested relating to remuneration levels in related non-departmental public bodies is available in the annual Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies".

Drugs

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many heroin addicts are on the methadone programme in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland; what the financial cost is of the programme in each country; and how many deaths have occurred while addicts are on a methadone programme in each country in each of the last three years.

Hazel Blears: I have been asked to reply.
	Since the Home Office addicts index closed in 1997, the regional drug misuse databases (RDMDs) have been the main source of information on persons presenting to drug treatment services with a drug problem. During the six month period ending 30 September 2000, around 21,200 people were reported to the RDMDs in England as presenting for treatment, with heroin recorded as their main drug of misuse. Around 6,200 of these people were reported as being prescribed methadone for treatment at the time they presented; other heroin users may subsequently have been prescribed methadone.
	In terms of financial costs, in 2001 the net ingredient cost (the basic cost of the drug, excluding dispensing cost, fees or prescription charges income) of methadone for use in substance dependence is £6.87 per preparation.
	The number of deaths in England and Wales where methadone was mentioned on death certificates in 1999 were 298.
	Information relating to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for the devolved Assemblies.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Access Land

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to begin consultation on proposals for regulations on the dedication of access land under section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

Alun Michael: I have today published a consultation paper which sets out the Government's proposals for regulations on the dedication of access land under section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. The regulations, which we expect to lay before Parliament later this year, will enable the owner of any land, or a lessee with a long lease, to irrevocably dedicate that land for public access. The Forestry Commission has already announced its intention in principle to dedicate the national forestry estate under section 16.
	I am also writing today to Green Minister colleagues about the considerable scope for dedication of land held by Government Departments and sponsored non- departmental public bodies, where dedication is compatible with the purpose for which the land is held. We will work with other Departments to explore the opportunities for dedication through the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate.
	Copies of the consultation paper are being sent to organisations representing local authorities, recreational users and land managers, and others with an interest; the consultation paper is also being published on the DEFRA website. A copy of the consultation paper has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

Foot and Mouth

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from the (a) Youth Hostels Association and (b) the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers about financial losses caused by the foot and mouth crisis; what proposals she has to compensate these organisations; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: I have corresponded with the Youth Hostels Association and met their Chairman and Chief Executive, as has my hon. Friend the Minister for Tourism, Film and Broadcasting I have also received around 200 letters from hon. Members on behalf of constituents concerned about the impact on the YHA's income of foot and mouth disease and the measures taken to control it. The YHA estimate that they lost £5 million 2001 out of an annual income of £30 million.
	I have also met representatives from the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers and discussed the impact of foot and mouth disease on their activities. I understand that the losses they suffered are in the region of £250,000 out of an annual income in the order of £23 million.
	I am well aware of the impact that foot and mouth disease had on a range of charities, especially those involved in promoting countryside access. The measures we put in place to help affected businesses were mainly focused on small businesses, and were not well adapted to helping national organisations such as the YHA or BTCV. During later stages we modified the guidelines for the Business recovery fund to clarify that charities' individual business units may be treated as separate business entities and may receive assistance in their own right if their applications meet the fund's other criteria. Charities may also benefit from rate relief granted by local authorities (for which we raised the rate of central subsidy from 75 per cent. to 95 or 98 per cent. in rural areas) and from the deferral of tax payments due. We have also put a lot of effort into encouraging local authorities into reopening footpaths as soon as possible to attract visitors back to the countryside, and put extra resources into tourism promotion via the British Tourist Authority and English Tourism Council.
	I accept that the help available is modest compared with the losses that organisations such as the YHA have suffered. It is not possible to provide compensation to charities for loss of income, any more than to farming or non-farming businesses affected by the disease and by the measures to control it. As explained in "England's Rural Future" published on 13 December, we are looking urgently and sympathetically at further measures to help charities—especially those involved in promoting countryside access—to recover from the impact of foot and mouth disease.

Rural Development Plan

Peter Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what role national park authorities in England will have in delivery of the rural development plan; and what additional resources will be made available by her Department for the authorities concerned.

Alun Michael: National park authorities make a significant contribution to the operation of the National Rural Development Programme (ERDP), not least through participation in the national and regional consultation groups which advise on the strategic direction of the programme. National park authorities are also encouraged to work with DEFRA's Rural Development Service to ensure that effective delivery of the ERDP contributes to the aims and objectives of national parks. The national park authorities also play a positive role in encouraging uptake of the agri-environment schemes which now form part of the ERDP. In particular they can use their detailed knowledge of the parks to ensure that the Countryside Stewardship Scheme is utilised positively and appropriately within the individual parks.

Birds of Prey

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to increase the number of British birds of prey.

Michael Meacher: All wild bird populations (including birds of prey) are included in the wild bird population indicator, which is one of the 15 headline indicators of sustainable development. These indicators are a "quality of life barometer" measuring everyday concerns like health, jobs and air quality.
	Populations of birds of prey have increased as a result of better protection from persecution and restrictions on the use of persistent pesticides.
	There are three projects aimed at increasing the population of a bird of prey species:
	1. The Red Kite Reintroduction Programme
	2. The Hen Harrier Recovery Project
	3. The 'Wash Harriers' Recovery Project.
	Although these projects are focused primarily on individual species, their overall objectives are far wider. The work involves tackling problems that affect a range of different birds of prey, and in so doing, contributing to recovery in their populations or at least to maintaining populations.
	English Nature are also involved with the Osprey reintroduction project that has been undertaken at Rutland Water in central England.

Environmental Appraisals

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many published environmental appraisals have been notified to the Sustainable Development Unit since February 2001; and by which Departments.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 16 January 2002
	The Third Annual Report on Greening Government, published in November 2001, included a list of published environmental appraisals up to 31 March 2001. This can be found in Part 1 of the report at www.sustainable-development.gov.uk. We have been notified of the following published environmental appraisals in the period since:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 2 
			 Export Credit Guarantee Department 1 
			 Inland Revenue 1 
		
	
	The table may not, however, give the complete picture of the extent of environmental appraisal undertaken by Departments as it only covers published free-standing environmental appraisals.

Environmental Appraisals

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she has taken, pursuant to the recommendation of the Environmental Audit Committee to ensure that departmental environmental appraisals assess the impact of competing options.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 16 January 2002
	This recommendation was included in the EAC's assessment of the First Annual Report of the Green Ministers Committee. In our Second Annual Report, all Departments made commitments to: maintain a record of the outcome of each screening they undertake; publish all free-standing environmental appraisals of policies unless there are overriding reasons for not doing so; and to produce their own guidance or training on screening of options by March 2001. The onus is on individual Departments to ensure they are operating these procedures properly, in particular getting their approach to the initial screening of policies for environmental impacts right.
	The Third Annual Report on Greening Government, published in November 2001, reported that Departments, where applicable, had systems in place to maintain a record of environmental screenings and had produced guidance or training on the screening of options. Detailed information on the systems in place in each Department can be found in Part 2 of the report at www.sustainable-development.gov.uk.

Air Pollution

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made in Buckinghamshire towards meeting the National Air Quality Strategy targets.

Michael Meacher: National and local air quality modelling suggests that the objectives prescribed in the Air Quality Strategy will all be met across all of Buckinghamshire with the following two main exceptions:
	1. There is a risk that the nitrogen dioxide annual objective may not be met alongside parts of the M40 motorway. Wycombe district council has declared an air quality management area between junctions 3 and 5 of the M40, and is carrying out further modelling and monitoring in this area which is due to be completed by 31 July 2002.
	2. There is a risk that the national ozone objective may not be met across parts of Buckinghamshire. The Air Quality Strategy sets out the actions that are being taken at national and international level to tackle this issue, since, because of its transboundary nature with major contributions from outside the UK, ozone is a pollutant over which local authorities have little control.

Air Pollution

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many air pollution (a) passive diffusion tubes and (b) automatic monitoring sites were based in Buckinghamshire in each year since 1977.

Michael Meacher: There are passive nitrogen dioxide diffusion tubes sites in the UK network in Aylesbury and Milton Keynes. Both towns have four sites each, which have been running since 1993. DEFRA has not funded any automatic monitoring sites based in Buckinghamshire at any time since 1977.
	In addition to these, each of the three local authorities in Buckinghamshire operates its own network of air quality monitors. Details of these are not held centrally.
	
		
			  Eaga Partnership TXU Warm Front Total 
		
		
			 HEES budget 2001–02(11) (£ million) 139 54 193 
			 Percentage of budget already spent 65 67 — 
			 Percentage likely to be spent by year end 100 100 — 
		
	
	(11) The budget for 2001–02 includes the moneys not used in the previous financial year
	The scheme managers have sufficient resources to meet demand in this financial year. The major difficulty that they continue to face is the national shortage of gas heating engineers. Both scheme managers continue to recruit installers and thereby improve the quality of service provided to householders.

Landfill Tax Credit Scheme

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the EU funding that would be lost if the landfill tax credit scheme were to be redefined as public instead of private money.

Michael Meacher: None. However, I understand that two studies are currently looking into this issue. One from Glasgow Caledonian University commissioned by ENTRUST, the LTCS regulator, and an Environmental Bodies Council (ebco) survey.
	We have recently announced that we will be consulting later this year on possible changes to the existing scheme. We expect the issue of EU funding will be raised during this consultation.

Home Energy Efficiency

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what was the total budget for the warm front schemes in the (a) Eaga area and (b) eastern area during 2001–02; and (i) how much and (ii) what percentage of these budgets (1) has already been spent and (2) is projected to be spent by the end of the year given present trends; and what measures Eaga and eastern are expected to take to bring budgets back into line if they are depleted before the end of the year.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 9 January 2002
	The home energy efficiency scheme (HEES), now marketed as the warm front team, is administered by two scheme managers, TXU Warm Front Ltd. (responsible for the eastern, east midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber) and Eaga Partnership Ltd. (responsible for the rest of England). The table provides the information requested.

Home Energy Efficiency

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the Government are helping to promote more energy efficient homes; and how many people in the Midlothian constituency have benefited from this.

Michael Meacher: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible for energy efficiency in England. In Scotland, and therefore for Midlothian this is a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
	The Government are committed to energy efficiency for its significant environmental, business and social benefits and have announced a range of policies to promote energy efficiency and reduce emissions in the domestic sector, including:
	A new Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC) for 2002–05 will place an obligation on gas and electricity suppliers to make energy efficiency improvements, through measures provided to domestic consumers.
	The Energy Saving Trust promotes the sustainable and efficient use of energy in the domestic sector. The trust is also active in encouraging local authorities to develop and improve domestic energy efficiency.
	New Building Regulations to come into effect from April 2002 will include improved standards of energy efficiency for new houses and those undergoing refurbishment.
	The new home energy efficiency scheme (HEES) is designed to tackle fuel poverty among those most vulnerable to cold-related ill health. Access to the scheme is through receipt of a qualifying income or disability related benefit. By 2004, HEES is expected to have assisted some 800,000 householders.

Home Energy Efficiency

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many houses in (a) the UK and (b) Wales lack (i) insulation and (ii) draught-proofing; and what measures the Government are taking to lower this figure.

Michael Meacher: As fuel poverty is a devolved matter, it is the responsibility of the respective Parliament and Assemblies to comment on the situation in their countries.
	The information is set out in respect of England:
	
		Insulation of households in England 1999
		
			 Households Number 
		
		
			 With no insulation(12) 2,600,000 
			 Without full insulation(13) 18,100,000 
			 With no draught-proofing(14) 4,400,000 
			 Without full draught-proofing(15) 7,290,000 
			  
			 Total 20,800,000 
		
	
	(12) No insulation is taken to mean the following: no loft insulation (where there is a loft); no cavity insulation (if there is a cavity wall); no double glazing.
	(13) Full insulation is taken to mean the following: at least four inches of loft insulation (where there is a loft); cavity walls insulated (where there are cavity walls); at least 80 per cent. of windows double glazed.
	(14) Double glazing is taken to include draught proofing.
	(15) Full draught-proofing is taken to mean 80 per cent. or more of rooms draught-proofed.
	The Government's main programme for private sector households in England is the home energy efficiency scheme (HEES), marketed as the warm front team, which is designed to tackle fuel poverty among those most vulnerable to cold related ill health—older householders, families with children and the disabled or those with long term illness. The scheme provides grants for a package of insulation and heating improvements. Separate programmes are in place to bring social sector housing up to a decent standard.
	The Government have recently set a target of 62 fuel-standardised terawatt hours for improvements in energy efficiency to be achieved by electricity and gas suppliers under the Energy Efficiency Commitment for 2002 to 2005 (EEC). Suppliers' EEC programmes are expected to include significant numbers of insulation measures.
	The Government also provide funding to the Energy Saving Trust to run a wide ranging programme of work to promote energy efficiency in homes. This includes promotion of cavity wall insulation and draught-proofing via advertising, advice centres and a database of available grants.

Home Energy Efficiency

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what is the average installation cost of an Eaga central heating system in the (a) north-west and (b) UK.

Michael Meacher: The two scheme managers, Eaga and TXU Warm Front Ltd., are responsible for recruiting heating contractors through an open tender in accordance with the UK Public Procurement Regulations. At present they are in the process of re-tendering contracts for the next two years. Therefore it is not possible to publish the current average installation prices without seriously distorting this tender process.
	However the average cost of providing a central heating system together with appropriate insulation is some £2,000.
	As fuel poverty is a devolved matter, it is the responsibility of the respective Parliament and Assemblies to comment on the situation in Scotland and Wales.

Take-back Schemes

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of domestic appliance retailers who will cease take-back schemes because of a lack of recycling and processing facilities for domestic appliances containing CFCs and HCFCs.

Michael Meacher: It is estimated that virtually all retailers have ceased their take-back schemes for fridges and freezers. However, this is not due to a lack of a disposal route. Fridges and freezers collected from householders may be re-used, disposed of via high temperature incineration in the UK, exported for recycling in other member states, or stored pending recycling in the UK.

Refrigerators

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what storage facilities she has identified for the storage of fridges and deep freezers containing CFCs prior to their reprocessing.

Michael Meacher: The location of storage facilities is a matter for the waste management industry and local authorities. A number of companies and local authorities have identified suitable storage facilities and I understand that sufficient capacity is available for all fridges and freezers that would be disposed of in a typical year.

Refrigerators

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what advice she has given to local authorities regarding the increased cost of collecting domestic appliances containing CFCs from 1 January; and when she plans to announce additional resources to be made available to local authorities under the New Burdens Procedures;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of additional costs to local authorities of collecting white goods from 1 January.

Michael Meacher: In December we announced a payment of £6 million funding for local authorities to cover their costs until March 2002. We are continuing to assess the impacts of the regulation and will determine what further action is required beyond that. As part of this process, my officials are in contact with local authorities and their representatives to gather additional information about costs.

Refrigerators

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimates she has made of the cost to local authorities per refrigerator of the collection, storage and processing of CFC-containing refrigerators.

Michael Meacher: Collection costs will vary between local authorities and waste collection authorities may levy a charge to cover the costs of collection. I understand that the current charges levied by waste management companies for storage and processing of fridges are in the range of £22 to £35, but that these are likely to fall once more plants are operational. We expect new plants to come on-line in the spring.
	Many local authorities will choose to store fridges until prices are lower. The cost of storage will depend on whether local authorities have suitable land available, and the period for which fridges are stored.

Refrigerators

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if it was her policy to ensure that liquid processing facilities existed for the processing of CFC-containing refrigerators and refrigerators when EC Regulation 2037/2000 came into force on the 1 January.

Michael Meacher: The UK only received clarification of the requirements of the regulation with regards to ozone depleting substances in insulation foam in June 2001. As soon as this was received, officials worked, with stakeholders, on a package of measures, including funding for local authorities, technical standards for removal of ODS from fridges and standards for storage pending treatment. This package enabled companies to make the necessary investment decisions. Given the extremely tight time scale, it was always unlikely that processing plant would come on-line for 1 January. However, I understand that the first new plant is likely to be operational in spring 2002.

Waste Refrigeration Equipment (Scotland)

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with Scottish Ministers regarding managing waste refrigeration equipment in Scotland.

Michael Meacher: None. However, my officials have been working closely on this issue with colleagues in the Devolved Administrations.

GM Crops

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on a five-year moratorium on genetically engineered crops.

Michael Meacher: European Union Directive 90/220 lays down strict controls on the release of genetically modified (GM) organisms. It requires proposed releases to be considered on a case-by-case basis, with a detailed assessment of the potential risks to human health and the environment. The Government agree with this approach. At the same time, we have a voluntary agreement with the industry that GM crops will not be grown here commercially at least until the results of the Farm Scale Evaluations have been assessed.

Sewerage Services

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many residential properties in (a) the UK and (b) Sheffield, Hillsborough were newly connected to mains sewerage in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many residential properties in the constituency of Sheffield, Hillsborough remain unconnected;
	(2)  how many residential properties in the UK were not connected to mains sewerage in (a) 1980, (b) 1990 and (c) 2000.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 18 December 2001
	The information requested is not available. We do not hold any figures about the type or number of properties connected or not connected to mains sewers. Water UK publish data annually about the UK water industry. They estimate that 6 per cent. of the population in the UK are not connected to mains sewerage. They do not have data for 1980 or 1990.

Water Sports

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she intends to take on the research report, "Water-based Sport and Recreation: The Facts" commissioned by her Department; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Officials will be meeting the other sponsors of the research (British Waterways, the Countryside Agency, the Countryside Council for Wales, the Environment Agency and Sport England) shortly, along with other interested Government Departments to consider what action we need to take in the light of the reports findings.

Village Halls

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has in relation to the funding of village halls.

Alun Michael: Village halls are funded in a variety of ways, most of the sources of finance being very local in nature. DEFRA has inherited a small funding stream for aid to village halls, while currently there are no plans to alter the way in which the Department assists the funding of village halls through the Countryside Agency.
	We are supporting local communities and parish and town councils in a variety of ways which complement the work of village halls. Currently, the Village Halls Loan Fund is administered by Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) on behalf of the Countryside Agency and can provide loans towards capital improvements such as maintenance, extensions or rebuilding costs. The total loan fund value is £700,000 and £244,000 has been loaned out to date this year.
	In addition, the Countryside Agency can offer help through the Community Service Grants Scheme delivered through the Vital Villages Programme. It can help fund an alteration/extension of a village hall or other community building where it provides a new or extended service to the community.
	Other sources of public funding for village halls include local authorities, regional development agencies, the community fund and the sports council.

Nuclear Waste

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measurements are made of the radiation above background level around intermediate and high level nuclear waste storage facilities at Sellafield and Dounreay.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 15 January 2002
	Measurements of all major types of radiation in the environment around the Sellafield site are undertaken routinely by BNFL, the Environment Agency and the Foods Standards Agency 1 . The data are published annually in respective environmental monitoring reports. The measurements cover the marine and terrestrial environments and reflect both present and past operations on site. It is not possible to identify separately monitoring data relating specifically to waste storage facilities from those relating to other operations on site. Assessed doses to those most likely to be exposed to radiation (the critical group) are based on these measurements. These estimated doses reflect total risk from the site, and are within national and international dose limits for members of the public.
	Radiation measurements taken within the Sellafield and Dounreay sites, around the waste storage facilities (and other facilities), are carried out by BNFL and UKAES respectively. The results of these measurements are available to Inspectors of the Health and Safety Executive. Both of these operators have a duty to ensure that the radiation doses arising from, among other things, their waste storage facilities are below statutory limits and are kept as low as reasonably practicable.
	Responsibility for environmental protection policy in Scotland (Dounreay) is a matter for the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
	1 Environmental reports referred to in the response:
	1. Discharges and monitoring of the environment in the UK: annual report for 2000, BNFL
	2. Radioactivity in the Environment, Report for 2000: Environment Agency
	3. Radioactivity in Food and the Environment, 2000: Food Standards Agency and Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Planning Reform White Paper

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultations she has had with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions in respect of the implications of the Planning Reform White Paper for her Department's White Paper on radioactive waste management.

Michael Meacher: The Department has had several contacts with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on this issue. That Department's 12 December paper "Planning: delivering a fundamental change" proposes reforms to the planning system, and its consultation paper of 17 December sets out new parliamentary procedures for processing major infrastructure projects. Radioactive waste facilities are among the projects to which these procedures could apply.
	Our 12 September consultation paper "Managing radioactive waste safely" asks the public for comments, by 12 March 2002, on a proposed programme for reaching decisions on managing solid radioactive waste over thousands of years. Each Department consulted the other before publishing its paper. The Department's paper is not a White Paper as such and does not itself propose any infrastructure projects, but such proposals may one day result from our decision-making process. Our Departments will therefore continue to discuss planning and radioactive waste policy issues.

Waste Management Scheme

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which schemes give financial assistance to local authorities in England and Wales to encourage waste management and recycling of waste; and which schemes give financial assistance to local authorities in the county of Essex for this purpose.

Michael Meacher: The Spending Review 2000 announced the framework for the Government's support to local authorities for the next three years up to 2003–04. This included an annual increase in the revenue support to local authorities for Environmental Protection and Cultural Services (EPCS), which includes waste management services. By 2003–04 this support will have risen by £1.1 billion over the 2000–01 provision. Consistent with the general local authority financial framework, it is for Essex county council to decide the proportion of their budget that should be directed to waste management work.
	In addition to general support to local authority revenue expenditure, the spending review provided £140 million of Government grant for waste management work and £220 million for Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) resources, for waste projects. We are currently in consultation on how the £140 million fund should be distributed. At this stage it is not possible to identify what funding Essex county council might receive from this source.
	The next tranche of lottery funding from the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) will include a £159 million fund for transforming communities, of which £49.5 million will be directed towards community sector reuse, recycling and composting schemes across the UK. This will benefit local authorities seeking to work in partnership with local community groups.
	Copies of the consultation on the distribution of £140 million fund are available from the House Libraries and from the DEFRA website: www.defra.gov.uk/ environment/consult/wastefund/index.htm.

Domestic Refuse (Recycling)

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance she provides to local authorities on the operation of schemes to recycle domestic refuse.

Michael Meacher: All local authorities in England and Wales have been set statutory performance standards, under the best value regime, for recycling and composting household waste. It is up to individual authorities to decide how best to meet these standards, according to local circumstances. However, guidance was issued in March 2001, by the then DETR, on the development of joint Municipal Waste Management Strategies (MWMS) for waste collection and waste disposal authorities to encourage all authorities to set out integrated plans for meeting their recycling/composting targets. This guidance contains some case studies of local authority waste management schemes.
	In July 2000 guidance was issued to local authorities on applying the best value framework to all waste management services "Waste Strategy Guidance—Best Value and Waste Management".
	The Department also encourages the pooling of local authority experience and the promotion of best practice schemes, through the Beacon Council scheme, local Public Service Agreements and Best Value Networks.
	The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is currently preparing a pilot training scheme, to begin in March this year, for local authority recycling officers, and for waste managers within the private and community sector. This scheme will aim to provide information on best practice from the UK and from around the world, information on the costs of recycling schemes, and advice on tools and techniques. Those involved will also be encouraged to identify and address areas where existing schemes could be improved, for example by looking at other recyclable materials or by targeting in other sectors of the community.
	WRAP hopes to make this training scheme available across the UK from September this year and intends to provide further training and development for chief officers and elected members in local authorities to raise their awareness of recycling issues. Collection operators, who come into direct contact with the public, will also be given further training so that they are better able to deal with public inquiries.
	WRAP also intends to invite tenders for assessing best practice guidance.

Fox Population

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what impact the foot and mouth hunt restrictions have had on the fox population in the United Kingdom.

Alun Michael: There is no information which could provide the basis for an answer to this question.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Tourism

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to promote tourism at industrial heritage sites with world heritage status.

Kim Howells: I am delighted that Derwent Valley Mills, Saltaire and New Lanark, three outstanding examples of UK industrial heritage, and Dorset and East Devon coast were awarded World Heritage status last month.
	Many of the UK's World Heritage Sites are world renowned and feature prominently in BTA's overseas' campaigns. My Department takes an active role in establishing comprehensive Management Plans for UK World Heritage sites which include sustainable tourism policies.

Tourism

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will increase financial support for tourism in England.

Kim Howells: Support for English tourism is set to increase from £10 million in 2001–02 to £12 million in 2002–03 and to £12.5 million in 2003–04. In addition, £3.8 million has also been made available to the English Tourism Council this financial year in response to the foot and mouth outbreak.

Gambling

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures she is taking to reduce gambling.

Richard Caborn: As I stated earlier today to the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Mr. Gibb), we published the report of the independent Gambling Review Body in July last year. We are now considering all the comments which we have received on it since then, and we will announce our conclusions as soon as possible.

Foot and Mouth

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the effect of the foot and mouth crisis on tourism.

Kim Howells: The estimated loss to the tourism industry as a result of foot and mouth disease is between £2.9 billion and £3.6 billion in the months from March to October 2001.

Meridian Television

David Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received with respect to Meridian Television's proposal to shut its Newbury studio.

Kim Howells: I have received a letter from one hon. Member. I have also noted the early-day Motion of 21 November.

Regional Theatres

Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the future of regional theatres.

Tessa Jowell: Funding for theatre remains a matter for the Arts Council of England and the Regional Arts Boards. In March last year, the Arts Council announced a significant increase in funding for theatre in 2002–03 and 2003–04, including a 51 per cent. increase for subsidised theatre throughout the west midlands by the end of the period.

Regional Theatres

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to increase support to regional theatres and arts venues in Brighton.

Tessa Jowell: This is a matter for the Arts Council of England in collaboration with South East Arts as the regional arts board for Brighton. The Arts Council's theatre review published last year allocated flexible funding of £150,000 to Brighton Production Development with the aim of developing the new city as a hub of theatre activity, benefiting audiences and theatre practitioners throughout the region. Komedia, based in Brighton, will also see its funding increased by £95,000 over the next two years.

International Film School

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to visit the International Film School at University College of Wales, Newport.

Kim Howells: I met the Director of the School in October, but I have no current plans to visit the school.

School Sports

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what consideration has been given to extending the school sports co-ordinators scheme beyond its target of 2003–04; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: We are considering extending the school sports co-ordinators scheme beyond the current target of 2003–04 as a means of helping to deliver the Government's commitment to entitlement to a minimum of two hours high quality PE and school sport per week for all children. We shall be discussing this in more detail with DfES Ministers.

Licensing Laws

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to bring forward licensing reform legislation.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to bring forward licensing reform legislation.

Kim Howells: We plan to present legislation to implement the proposals set out in the White Paper "Time for Reform" as soon as parliamentary time permits. In addition, we are taking forward a series of regulatory reform proposals, including the one which allowed pubs and clubs to open continuously for up to 36 hours at new year's eve. The Police Superintendents Association of England and Wales has said that the resulting phasing of closing times was welcomed by the police service.

Cultural Commission

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what basis she selected the members of the Cultural Commission for the east of England.

Tessa Jowell: The Chair of the East of England Regional Cultural Consortium, known as Living East, was appointed by me following consultation within the region and advice from an independent appointments panel.
	Consortium members are either nominated by the relevant cultural bodies or by local government, or appointed by the Chair in consultation with others in the region. Ministers are not involved with the appointment of any Consortium members other than the Chairs.

Women (Sport)

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what encouragement she has given to women's participation in sport.

Richard Caborn: The Government are determined to ensure that there is equality of opportunity for all in every area including sport. Our policy of 'Sport for All' is aimed at encouraging everyone, including women into sport. Sport England provides over £6 million of Exchequer funding to sports governing bodies and all are required to ensure that they have proposals for the development of women as part of the condition of funding. Sport England also fund the Womens Sports Foundation (WSF) which is the only organisation in the UK that is solely committed to improving and promoting opportunities for women and girls in sport at every level. More women than ever are finding that regular physical exercise can lead to improvements in health, self-confidence and well-being. Women's team sports such as football and rugby are among the fastest-growing sports in the country.

Libraries

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals she has to increase Library use among low income and socially excluded groups.

Tessa Jowell: Policy guidance on the contribution that libraries can make to tackling social inclusion was issued in January last year in the document "Libraries, Museums, Galleries and Archives For All".
	Over the past two years, my Department has supported 49 library schemes which contribute to tackling social inclusion under the DCMS/Wolfson Public Libraries Challenge Fund.
	We are working with Resource (the Council for Museums, Libraries and Archives) to ensure that library services are made as widely available as possible to all sections of society.
	Through lottery funding, all public libraries will offer public internet access by December 2002.

Dorset and East Devon Coast

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what meetings she has had with the English Tourist Council regarding the granting of world heritage status to the Dorset and east Devon coast.

Kim Howells: I am delighted that the Dorset and East Devon coast was awarded World Heritage status last month.
	I have not met with the English Tourism Council to discuss this matter. The ETC offers leadership and guidance to the tourism industry and reported recently on the heritage sector in Action for Attractions. My Department takes an active role in establishing comprehensive Management Plans for UK World Heritage sites which include sustainable tourism policies.

Football (Crowd Control)

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to meet representatives of the Football Association to discuss crowd control.

Tessa Jowell: The Government look to the football authorities to act quickly to prevent any recurrence of recent crowd disorder at matches. The Football Association and the FA of Wales are conducting detailed inquiries into events at the cup ties played at Cardiff and Aston Villa on 6 January. I expect that these inquiries will consider the extent to which local police forces made use of the extensive public order powers available to them under the Football Offences Act 1991 and other legislation. I have made it clear that the Government stand ready to assist with these inquiries, and my right hon. Friend the Minister for Sport would be happy to facilitate meetings between the football authorities and Ministers, if these are considered necessary.

Euro

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she has met the English Tourist Council to discuss the acceptance of euro notes and coins.

Kim Howells: I have not met with the English Tourism Council to discuss this matter.
	The British Tourist Authority has recently issued revised guidance for the tourism industry on the euro which includes a checklist of action points and advice on authenticating banknotes. Further guidance will be issued if it is needed.

Derwent Valley Mills

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has met the English Tourist Council to discuss the granting of world heritage status to Derwent Valley mills.

Tessa Jowell: I am delighted that Derwent Valley Mills was awarded World Heritage status last month.
	I have not met with the English Tourism Council to discuss this matter. The ETC offers leadership and guidance to the tourism industry and reported recently on the heritage sector in Action for Attractions. My Department takes an active role in establishing comprehensive Management Plans for UK World Heritage sites which include sustainable tourism policies.

National Museums

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people visited national museums in December.

Tessa Jowell: Overall some 200,000 more people visited in December 2001 than in December 2000 taking the total to 1.8 million. Visitors to those that went free on or just prior to 1 December doubled. This clearly demonstrates the success of our policy to abolish admission charges.

Golden Jubilee

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to celebrate the Golden anniversary of the Queen's accession on 6 February 2002.

Tessa Jowell: Although the actual anniversary of Her Majesty the Queen's accession to the throne is 6 February, the Prime Minister announced on 23 November 2000, Official Report, column 294W, that the Queen had approved his recommendation that the anniversary should be celebrated during the summer of this year, the focal point of which will be the celebrations during the 'Jubilee Weekend' of 1 to 4 June.

Newspaper Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what has been the expenditure of her (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies on newspaper advertising by title in each year since 1997.

Kim Howells: The Department's total expenditure on newspaper advertising over the years in question is shown in the table. The Department uses newspaper advertising mainly to attract candidates for the many public appointments for which the Department is responsible but it also includes the cost of external recruitment exercises for the Department itself. Expenditure by title is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1997–98(16) 0 
			 1998–99(16) 244,377 
			 1999–2000(16) 139,501 
			 2001–01(16) 121,012 
			 2001–02(17) 83,514 
		
	
	(16) Outturn
	(17) To date
	The Department has 66 non-departmental public bodies and does not keep central records of their newspaper advertising. The cost of tracing and listing each public body's advertising and promotional campaigns could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Public Relations Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent by (a) her Department and (b) bodies for which it is responsible on external public relations consultants in each of the last four years.

Kim Howells: The Department has only let one contract with external public relations consultants during the period in question. In order to preserve commercial confidentiality I am unable to provide details of the cost. Information relating to the bodies for which my Department is responsible is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Heritage Lottery Fund

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what expert advice the Heritage Lottery Fund seeks when making policy changes.

Kim Howells: The Heritage Lottery Fund's standard practice is to consult with a range of organisations and individuals, including statutory agencies and practitioners, in advance of policy developments. For example, in reaching a new policy statement on skills and training for the heritage sector, to be published later this month, the Heritage Lottery Fund commissioned a MORI survey, and discussed findings with heritage organisations and employers to inform policy making. The fund's new strategic plan is being considered against the background of extensive consultation undertaken during summer 2001. The consultation process was UK wide, and included heritage practitioners and representatives of non-heritage organisations, members of the public and community leaders. The Heritage Lottery Fund received some 315 responses to its consultation document, and took the views of nearly 600 people who attended workshops, seminars and focus groups into account. The Heritage Lottery Fund follows the Cabinet Office's Code of Practice on written consultation.

Ministerial Transport

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for her Department in each of the last four years.

Kim Howells: The question concerning ministerial cars will be dealt with centrally, by the Cabinet Office. The information requested concerning all types of taxis used by the Department is shown in the table.
	
		£ 
		
			  2001–02(18) 2000–01(19) 1999–2000(19) 1998–99(19) 
		
		
			 Other ministerial car services (non-Government car service) 8,649 5,726 3,203 4,230 
			 Taxis 18,468 28,669 21,917 15,367 
		
	
	(18) To date
	(19) Outturn

National Lottery

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much unclaimed money is held in the National Lottery Distribution Fund which is not committed to projects.

Richard Caborn: At the end of September 2001 (the latest figures available), approximately £264 million of the total amount available for distribution was uncommitted to projects.

Horse Racing Industry

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will introduce a betting levy for the financial year 2002–03 to help support the horse racing industry.

Richard Caborn: The Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963, as amended, provides that if the Horserace Betting Levy Board does not approve, by 31 October each year, a scheme for the following financial year under which bookmakers pay a levy on betting on horse racing, the Secretary of State has a duty to determine a scheme. Such a duty has now arisen, and consideration is being given to a scheme in accordance with the requirements of the Act. An announcement will be made as soon as practicable.

Digital Television

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of United Kingdom homes have digital television services; when she expects (a) 50 per cent., (b) 70 per cent. and (c) 90 per cent. of homes to have digital television services; what recent discussions she has had with the retail sector about the promotion of digital television; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I understand that over one third of UK homes are now accessing digital television services. I am not in a position to predict when digital television take up will reach specific levels. A Digital Television Action Plan was issued on 20 December 2001, following consultation on a Draft Plan with stakeholders from all sectors of the broadcasting industry, including the retail sector, and with representatives of consumers. The Action Plan sets out a series of actions to be taken by Government and industry, in partnership, to achieve the aim for the UK to have the most dynamic and competitive market for digital TV in the G7, as measured by take up, choice and cost, and to meet the criteria announced in September 1999 which must be met before analogue terrestrial transmissions could be switched off.

UK Sports Institute (Regional Centres)

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress she has made in the development of facilities at the regional centres of excellence for the UK Sports Institute.

Richard Caborn: The Government remain committed to the development of the United Kingdom Sports Institute (UKSI) and good progress is being made in its establishment. Centres in Scotland and Wales are now operational; the English Institute is developing apace and it is hoped that work on the Northern Ireland Institute will begin soon.
	Encouraging progress is being made with the development of the English Institute of Sport (EIS) facilities. To date 17 facilities are now open, with a further 10 on-site and under construction, over £100 million of lottery investment is now secured by funding agreements and large sites in Bath and Sheffield are secured and going on-site in early 2002. The majority of EIS facilities should be fully operational by the end of 2002.

Supporters Direct

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much she is making available to Supporters Direct in 2001–02; how much she will be giving in 2002–03; how many supporters trusts have been established by Supporters Direct; and what plans she has to fund Supporters Direct after 2003.

Richard Caborn: Supporters Direct has assisted in the formation of 43 supporters trusts to date, which puts it well ahead of the targets included in its original Business Plan. Under its three-year funding agreement, Supporters Direct received £250,000 from the Reduction in Pool Betting Duty for 2000–01, and will receive the same amount in 2001–02 and 2002–03. My Department and Supporters Direct are currently discussing the funding arrangements which will follow the end of the current agreement.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what procedures her Department has to ensure environmental appraisals are undertaken prior to (a) administrative and (b) policy decisions being made.

Kim Howells: Environmental considerations are fully established as part of administrative decisions about the procurement of any goods for my Department, and are set out in the Department's procurement manual. My Department has also established an on-going Environmental Management System with the assistance of environmental consultants WSP, who scrutinised the environmental impact of the Department's procurement practices, use of energy and disposal of waste. The policy makers checklist, which includes reference to environmental and sustainable development considerations, is held on the Department's intranet to inform policy decisions.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many officials from her Department have attended the Environmental Appraisal and Integration into Policy training course run by the Civil Service College.

Kim Howells: None of my officials have attended the Environmental Appraisal and Integration into Policy training course run by the Civil Service College.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans her Department has to appraise the environmental implications of its Spending Review submission to the Treasury.

Kim Howells: Officials in my Department are aware that they have to produce a sustainable development report due at the end of February, as part of SR 2002.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the last occasion was on which she requested an environmental appraisal before making a policy decision.

Kim Howells: Policy makers in my Department are aware of the policy makers checklist which includes the recommendation to consider any environmental implications; however my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Arts has not had occasion to request a formal environmental appraisal since her appointment.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many environmental appraisals have been published by her Department since 1 January 2001; and if she will list the last four.

Kim Howells: No environmental appraisals have been published by my Department since 1 January 2001.

Forth Rail Bridge

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her oral answer of 3 December 2001, Official Report, column 6, what discussions she has had with the British Tourist Authority on the impact on tourism of maintenance problems concerning the Forth Rail Bridge.

Kim Howells: I have not had discussions on this as transport is a devolved matter for the Scottish Executive.

Channel 5

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if it is her policy that Channel 5 should be available to all terrestrial analogue television users in the United Kingdom.

Kim Howells: It was clear at its inception that the fifth channel could not be available in all parts of the United Kingdom because of spectrum constraints. I do not expect analogue terrestrial Channel 5 services to be extended to all analogue terrestrial television users because our priority is to use available spectrum for developing digital terrestrial television.

Regional Museums

Joyce Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she plans to meet the Council for Museums and Libraries to discuss the funding of regional museums, with specific reference to those in north-east England.

Tessa Jowell: My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Arts will shortly be meeting Lord Evans of Temple Guiting, the Chairman of Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, to discuss the report by the Regional Museum Task Force "Renaissance in the Regions: a new vision for England's museums" which was published last October.
	The report makes recommendations for a new framework for museums and galleries in England's regions, including the north-east.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefit Fraud

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if the reformed Child Support Agency has a section dedicated to counter fraud work; and what the budget is of that section for the first year of operation.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my right hon. Friend.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. Frank Field, dated 10 January 2002
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply.
	Mr. Smith is unavailable and therefore I am writing to you on his behalf.
	You asked if the reformed Child Support Agency has a section dedicated to counter fraud work; and what the budget is of that section for the first year of operation.
	We have set up sections dedicated to counter fraud as part of the implementation of changes to child support legislation. These units investigate cases where individuals appear to have deliberately provided incorrect or misleading information. They also consider cases where information might properly be referred for investigation elsewhere.
	The budget for this section in its first year was £3.5 million.
	I hope this is helpful.

Benefit Fraud

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the extent of benefit fraud through the use of bank accounts set up by members or supporters of Shariah and Al Muhajaroon.

Malcolm Wicks: We are implementing our strategy to tackle fraud and error by tightening up the system and making sure that, from the first claim, the right benefits are going to the right people. Due to the nature of fraud, it is not possible to give an estimate of the level of fraud committed by particular groups or their supporters.

Benefit Fraud

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent in total on the Targeting Fraud website.

Malcolm Wicks: It is not possible to provide a specific cost for the Targeting Fraud website, as it was built and is maintained on the departmental web server from existing resources.

Shareholders

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of the adult population owned one or more shares in (a) the latest year for which figures are available and (b) each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The information available is in the table:
	
		Percentage of adult population owning one or more stocks/shares, unit trusts, PEPs, ISAs
		
			  Stocks/shares Stocks/shares/unit trusts/PEPs/ISAs 
		
		
			 1997–98 22 27 
			 1998–99 21 27 
			 1999–2000 20 29 
			 2000–01 19 32 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The estimates are based on sample counts that have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors that control for tenure, Council Tax Band and a number of demographic variables. Estimates are subject to sampling error and to variability in non-response.
	2. Questions on assets are a sensitive part of the FRS questionnaire and have relatively low level of response, and hence higher levels of imputation, compared to other parts of the survey. Responses are imputed in around one in 10 cases. Evidence also suggests some under reporting of capital by respondents.
	3. The final column of the table shows the percentage of adults reporting one or more of the categories: stocks and shares, unit trusts, PEPs and ISAs.
	4. The results are for financial years.
	Source:
	Family Resources Survey (FRS)

Shareholders

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will provide a breakdown of share ownership by occupational status for the most recent date available.

Malcolm Wicks: The information available is in the following table:
	
		Breakdown of adult population owning one or more stocks/shares, unit trusts, PEPs, ISAs by occupational status
		
			 Occupation Stocks/ shares Stocks/shares/unit trusts/PEPs/ISAs 
		
		
			 Undefined 33 32 
			 Managers and administrators 16 15 
			 Professionals 11 11 
			 Associate professionals and technical 9 9 
			 Clerical and secretarial 10 11 
			 Craft and related 6 6 
			 Personal and protective service 4 5 
			 Sales 3 4 
			 Plant and machine operatives 4 4 
			 Other occupations 2 3 
			  
			 Total percentage of adults 19 32 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The estimates are based on sample counts that have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors that control for tenure, council tax band and a number of demographic variables. Estimates are subject to sampling error and to variability in non-response.
	2. Questions on assets are a sensitive part of the FRS questionnaire and have relatively low level of response, and hence higher levels of imputation, compared to other parts of the survey. Responses are imputed in around one in 10 cases. Evidence also suggest some under reporting of capital by respondents.
	3. The final column of the table shows the percentage of adults reporting one or more of the categories: stocks and shares, unit trusts, PEPs and ISAs.
	Source:
	Family Resources Survey 2000–01

Child Support Agency

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the final maintenance assessment accuracy figure is for the Child Support Agency in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. David Willetts, dated 10 January 2002
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply.
	Mr. Smith is unavailable and therefore I am writing to you on his behalf.
	You asked what the final maintenance assessment accuracy figure is for the Child Support Agency in each year since 1997.
	The information requested is in the attached table.
	Until this year our target measured the accuracy of our assessments to the nearest penny and required us to revisit the whole of the current assessment, including those elements which may have been in place for some considerable time. The measure therefore reflected historical mistakes rather than our current performance.
	The target for this year focuses on improving the accuracy of the last action we have taken on a case. On that basis our achievement last year was 78.5%. We have continued to focus on accuracy and so far this year we have further improved that figure to 82.8%.
	I hope this is helpful.
	
		CSA: cash value accuracy of maintenance assessment -- Percentage
		
			Achievement against the cash value accuracy target for the last four years  
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Target 85 75 78 78 
			 Achievement 85.6 77.2 70.5 67.4 
		
	
	Source:
	Agency Annual Reports 1999–2000 and 2000–01

Cold Weather Payments

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cold weather payments have been triggered this winter as a result of low temperatures, broken down by (a) weather station and (b) nation and region of the United Kingdom.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 11 January 2002
	Cold weather payments are a key part of our strategy to tackle fuel poverty. They provide extra help towards heating costs for the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society in periods of exceptionally cold weather. They are paid to pensioners receiving the minimum income guarantee, and to people receiving income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance who have children under the age of five or who have a premium for disability or long term sickness.
	The payments are made automatically and are triggered when the average temperature is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0 degrees Centigrade or below over seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to the customer's postcode. So far this year we estimate that payments to the value of almost £16.8 million have been triggered. Available information on the breakdown of the payments is in the tables.
	
		Estimated number and value of cold weather payments triggered by weather station
		
			 Weather station Estimated number of payments triggered from 1 November 2001 to 14 January 2002 Estimated value of payments triggered (£) 
		
		
			 Andrewsfield 39,790 338,215.00 
			 Aviemore 3,099 26,341.50 
			 Bedford 60,529 514,496.50 
			 Bingley 86,283 733,405.50 
			 Bishopton 178,525 1,517,462.50 
			 Boltshope Park 9,370 79,645.00 
			 Boulmer 10,793 91,740.50 
			 Bracknell 53,193 452,140.50 
			 Braemar 152 1,292.00 
			 Brize Norton 22,139 188,181.50 
			 Carlisle 9,896 84,116.00 
			 Cassley 208 1,768.00 
			 Coleshill 249,130 2,117,605.00 
			 Coltishall 34,663 294,635.50 
			 Dumfries 5,128 43,588.00 
			 Dyce 22,024 187,204.00 
			 Edinburgh Gogarbank 65,607 557,659.50 
			 Eskdalemuir 4,356 37,026.00 
			 Fylingdales 25,142 213,707.00 
			 Great Malvern 37,578 319,413.00 
			 Lake Vyrnwy 1,398 11,883.00 
			 Leeds 143,964 1,223,694.00 
			 Lerwick 829 7,046.50 
			 Leuchars 32,244 274,074.00 
			 Linton on Ouse 62,637 532,414.50 
			 Loch Glascarnoch 525 4,462.50 
			 Lyneham 24,040 204,340.00 
			 Marham 14,914 126,769.00 
			 Newcastle 122,657 1,042,584.50 
			 Nottingham 147,861 1,256,818.50 
			 Redhill 32,551 276,683.50 
			 Ringway 199,291 1,693,973.50 
			 Salsburgh 12,027 102,229.50 
			 Sennybridge 47,119 400,511.50 
			 Shawbury 48,288 410,448.00 
			 Tulloch Bridge 1,931 16,413.50 
			 Waddington 95,223 809,395.50 
			 Wattisham 35,582 302,447.00 
			 Wick Airport 1,956 16,626.00 
			 Wittering 30,163 256,385.50 
			  
			 Total 1,972,805 16,768,842.50 
		
	
	
		Estimated number and value of cold weather payments triggered by country
		
			 Country Estimated number of payments triggered from 1 November 2001 to 14 January 2002 Estimated value of payments triggered (£) 
		
		
			 England 1,595,677 13,563,254.50 
			 Scotland 328,611 2,793,193.50 
			 Wales 48,517 412,394.50 
			   
			 Total 1,972,805 16,768,842.50 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are not available by Government Office Region.
	2. Those weather stations where cold weather payments have not been triggered are excluded from the tables.
	3. Cold weather payments are payable for periods of cold weather between 1 November and 31 March each winter.
	4. Social security matters in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
	5. The figures provided are estimates. The final number and value of actual payments made will be reconciled after 31 March 2002.
	Source:
	Estimates are based on a scan in November 2001 of income support and jobseeker's allowance live load linked to Weather Station postcodes.

Benefits Agency (Freecall Service)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the determination is made as to whether a benefit applicant faces significant difficulties such that a freecall number is provided by the Benefits Agency.

Malcolm Wicks: In deciding whether a freecall service ought to be provided, a variety of factors are considered, e.g. the anticipated length of calls, location of the customer and their likely financial circumstances. Guidance to staff within the Department tells them to make a return telephone call to a customer in the UK on request.

Benefits Agency (Freecall Service)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many freecall numbers have been provided by the Benefits Agency to such benefit applicants since 1997 (a) in Scotland and (b) in the rest of the United Kingdom.

Malcolm Wicks: Since 1997 the Benefits Agency has provided two freecall numbers for benefit applications. Both services are available to all UK customers. The first was provided for the benefits inquiry line and the second for minimum income guarantee claims.

ME

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what effect the NHS recognition of ME as a medical condition will have on the operation of the physical capability assessment; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: We recognise chronic fatigue syndromes, including ME, as potentially debilitating illnesses and the Department's Chief Medical Adviser constantly evaluates the latest developments in the understanding of these conditions. The personal capability assessment which is used in determining entitlement to incapacity benefit is a functional assessment which looks at the extent to which a person's ability to carry out certain everyday activities is affected by their medical condition. In general, it is the effect of the condition that is important, not the specific diagnosis.
	The application of the assessment to people who have a medical condition that fluctuates or varies in its severity (such as ME) is already covered in the training and guidance given to Medical Services doctors who provide advice for Decision Makers. The doctors are trained to base their advice on the level of function that the person is capable of most of the time taking into account such factors as pain, fatigue and variability of symptoms.

Attendance Allowance

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how much of the attendance allowance money withdrawn from recipients in Scotland will be spent in Scotland;
	(2)  when his Department notified the Scottish Executive that the payment of attendance allowance to those recipients who will qualify for free personal care would be withdrawn;
	(3)  whether attendance allowance payments contribute to the funding of free nursing care in England;
	(4)  how the attendance allowance money withdrawn from recipients in Scotland will be allocated by his Department.

Alistair Darling: To avoid duplicate provision from public funds, the Great Britain-wide social security benefit rules have always precluded payment of attendance allowance to people in residential care homes and nursing homes who receive help with the cost of their place in the home from a local authority or a health authority. Benefit spending is determined by the number of claimants who satisfy the qualifying conditions that apply to a particular benefit. A reduction in forecast benefit expenditure will increase the funds available for public expenditure as a whole, and issues regarding their allocation will be dealt with in the usual way. The funding arrangements for free nursing care have always been entirely separate from those for attendance allowance.

Universal Bank

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he plans for the services of the Universal bank to be in operation by April 2003.

Malcolm Wicks: While there are still issues to be resolved, substantial progress is being made towards delivery of the project as planned.

Benefits Agency (ACT)

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advice will be available to benefit claimants who do not have a bank account when the move to ACT takes place.

Malcolm Wicks: If claimants do not have a bank account, staff will discuss options with them to help them make the best choice for their circumstances.

Benefit Payments (ACT)

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of benefit recipients have received their benefits by automated credit transfer in each year since ACT was introduced.

Malcolm Wicks: Comprehensive statistics on customers paid by Automated Credit Transfer (ACT) date back to 1993. The table reflects the average take up across all benefits apart from job seekers allowance (JSA) as take-up data are not currently available.
	
		
			  Year Percentage of benefit recipients receiving their benefit by ACT 
		
		
			 1993 18.5 
			 1994 23.5 
			 1995 24.0 
			 1996(20) 28.0 
			 1997 30.5 
			 1998(21) 33.0 
			 1999 36.0 
			 2000(22) 38.0 
			 2001 (August) 40.0 
		
	
	(20) Includes IIDB from June 1996
	(21) Includes ICA from June 1998
	(22) Includes guardians allowance from June 2000

Benefit Payments (ACT)

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the costs that the Government will incur in servicing Post Office card accounts for (a) 3 million, (b) 4 million, (c) 5 million and (d) 6 million benefit claimants.

Malcolm Wicks: This will depend on the outcome of contractual negotiations between the Government and the Post Office, which will remain commercially in confidence between the parties.

Benefit Payments (ACT)

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research his Department has carried out into the numbers of benefit claimants who already have a bank account; and if he has estimated how many of these claimants will choose to transfer to a Post Office card account when they start to be paid by ACT.

Malcolm Wicks: Around 85 per cent. of benefit claimants have an account into which they can be paid directly. In general, we expect that they will choose to use these accounts when moving to payment by ACT.

Benefit Payments (ACT)

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on what information the Government based its assumption that around 3 million benefit and tax credit recipients will open a Post Office card account and what provision is being made available should this figure rise following the introduction of the Universal Bank.

Malcolm Wicks: Our assumption was derived from the number of benefit and tax credit recipients without bank accounts, recognising that some of these customers will open basic accounts with a high street bank. The commercial arrangements between the Government and the Post Office will provide for the possibility that the actual number of Post Office card accounts may be higher or lower than our 3 million operational assumption.

Benefit Payments (ACT)

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with the Post Office about the provision of the Post Office card account; what the outcome of these discussions was; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Officials, together with officials from the Inland Revenue and the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency, have had extensive discussions with the Post Office. These are still continuing.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many environmental appraisals have been published by his Department since 1 January 2001; and if he will list the last four;
	(2)  when the last occasion was on which he requested an environmental appraisal before making a policy decision;
	(3)  what procedures his Department has to ensure environmental appraisals are undertaken prior to (a) administrative and (b) policy decisions being made;
	(4)  what plans his Department has to appraise the environmental implications of its Spending Review submission to the Treasury;
	(5)  how many officials from his Department have attended the environmental appraisal and integration into policy training course run by the Civil Service College.

Maria Eagle: With the creation of the Department for Work and Pensions arrangements have been put in place to ensure that the new Department continues to meet the Government's sustainable development objectives.
	We have actively embraced the social, economic and environmental elements of sustainable development, and are taking these aspects forward together within an integrated strategy. The Department has a Grade 2 Senior Accountable Official for sustainable development (SD) and has established an SD steering group to take ownership of, and drive forward, sustainability across the Department. The steering group includes senior "SD Champions" from each area of the Department's business.
	A corporate SD team has been established also to own the Department's SD policy, and to establish targets and monitor progress. Representatives from the six main business areas of the Department and the SD team all attended a specifically tailored SD training course on environmental appraisal run by the Civil Service College in November 2001.
	A mechanism has been put in place to ensure that all major initiatives are assessed for SD impacts and benefits through the Department's projects approvals process. A further proposal is under development which will provide appraisals of new and revised policies. DWP internal auditors will include these appraisals within its audit programme.
	We are preparing a Sustainable Development report to accompany our Spending Review submission to Treasury, and are working with our client groups and Business Management Division to ensure that the Department's bid accords with the objectives within the UK strategy for SD.
	We have published a free-standing SD annual report which has been placed in the Library.

Jobseeker's Allowance

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed jobseeker's allowance in the Hornchurch constituency in (a) September 1997, (b) September 1999 and (c) September 2001.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Kidgell to John Cryer, dated 21 January 2002
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your parliamentary question regarding the number of people claiming job seeker's allowance (JSA) in the Hornchurch constituency in September 1997, September 1999 and September 2001. I am replying in his absence. (27221)
	The claimant count consists of all people claiming JSA or NI credits at Employment Service local offices. They must declare that they are out of work, capable of, available for and actively seeking work during the week in which their claim is made
	The information is given in the table below.
	
		Claimant Court level (not seasonally adjusted—in the Hornchurch Parliamentary Constituency
		
			 Date Number 
		
		
			 September 1997 1,337 
			 September 1999 1,125 
			 September 2001 748

Benefits (Yorkshire)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what was the claimant count in York and north Yorkshire in (a) 1997, (b) 1999, (c) 2000 and (d) 2001.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Kidgell to Miss Anne McIntosh, dated 21 January 2002
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your parliamentary question regarding the number of claimants in York and North Yorkshire in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001. I am replying in his absence (28195)
	The table below shows the annual average claimant count level for the York unitary authority local district and North Yorkshire County for the years 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001.
	
		The annual average levels of claimants (not seasonally adjusted) in the York (UA) and the North Yorkshire county -- Number
		
			  York UA North Yorkshire County 
		
		
			 1997 3,786 13,495 
			 1999 2,762 10,380 
			 2000 2,367 8,940 
			 2001 2,120 8,038

Child Asylum Seekers

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Government are doing to safeguard the welfare of unaccompanied asylum seeking children when they are given leave to remain in the UK; how the Government are helping social care agencies protect and aid those children deemed most at risk; and how many children are at risk in the Midlothian constituency.

Jacqui Smith: I have been asked to reply.
	Unaccompanied asylum seeking children are assessed by local authorities in accordance with their duties under the Children Act 1989, and are provided with help and support on the basis of that needs assessment. The position is unchanged when they receive leave to remain in the United Kingdom. While the young people are under 18 the local authority is able to claim grant funding from the Home Office to meet the costs of support. The Quality Protects programme, designed to improve services to children in local authority care, applies to local authorities' services for these young people as for other children in need.
	Matters relating to Scotland are for the devolved Administration.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what procedures the Lord Chancellor's Department has to ensure environmental appraisals are undertaken prior to (a) administrative and (b) policy decisions being made.

Rosie Winterton: No formal environmental appraisal process is in place for administrative decision making, but reference is made to the Department's Environmental Strategy, which addresses the environmental impact of the Department's operations. This specifically targets construction of new courts and office buildings, the maintenance of our diverse estate, energy efficiency and water management, procurement of goods and services; training and education of staff; waste management; and the impact of travel to and from our buildings.
	Policy decisions are subject to environmental screening, and policy makers use the Cabinet Office's Policy Makers Checklist.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the last occasion was on which the Lord Chancellor requested an environmental appraisal before making a policy decision.

Rosie Winterton: To date there have been no policy decisions that have required the Lord Chancellor to request an environmental appraisal.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many officials from the Lord Chancellor's Department have attended the Environmental Appraisal and Integration into Policy training course run by the Civil Service College.

Rosie Winterton: As yet no officials from my Department have attended the Environmental Appraisal and Integration into Policy training course.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many environmental appraisals have been published by the Lord Chancellor's Department since 1 January 2001; and if she will list the last four.

Rosie Winterton: There have been no environmental appraisals published by my Department since 1 January 2001. No environmental impacts were identified in any of the policies or programmes considered since that date.

Environmental Appraisals

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans the Lord Chancellor's Department has to appraise the environmental implications of its Spending Review submission to the Treasury.

Rosie Winterton: My Department's spending review team is collaborating with our Energy and Environment Branch on the environmental implications of the spending review, and the production of a free-standing sustainable development report. They will be using the guidance provided by HM Treasury on the conduct of the review, including advice on sustainable development.

Immigration Appellate Authority

Terry Rooney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many adjudicators in the Immigration Appellate Authority have (a) been dismissed and (b) resigned in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: No Immigration adjudicators have been dismissed during the last five years. The Lord Chancellor's Department does not have definitive records of resignations during the last five years but estimates that 26 Immigration adjudicators have resigned during that period.

Immigration Appellate Authority

Terry Rooney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the minimum qualification to serve as an adjudicator for the Immigration Appellate Authority.

Rosie Winterton: All appointments are made under Schedule 3 to the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. All appointees must hold a seven year qualification within the meaning of section 71 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990, which is a right of audience in any class of proceedings in any part of the Supreme Court or in all proceedings in the county court or magistrates courts, or they should be an advocate or solicitor in Scotland of at least seven years' standing, a member of the Bar of Northern Ireland or a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Northern Ireland of at seven years' standing or have such legal or other experience as appears to the Lord Chancellor to make him or her suited for appointment.

Immigration Appellate Authority

Terry Rooney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what training is given to adjudicators in the Immigration Appellate Authority.

Rosie Winterton: Qualification for appointment for adjudicators is laid out in Paragraph 2, Schedule 3 to the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. For adjudicators new to the jurisdiction there is a structured four-day induction programme of training. This includes judicial practice, immigration and asylum law, discussion groups and practical exercises. Inductees are mentored and sit in with an experienced adjudicator for at least three hearing days.
	For existing adjudicators there is a regular series of training events. All adjudicators receive a minimum of three days training per annum. Such training covers new developments as well as providing opportunities to refresh existing knowledge and skills.

Immigration Appellate Authority

Terry Rooney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what written guidance is given to adjudicators in the Immigration Appellate Authority on the conduct and management of appeal hearings.

Rosie Winterton: All adjudicators receive an extensive Bench Book covering all aspects of relevant law and practice. They are also provided with equal treatment guidance, standard legal texts and extensive guidance on determination writing. IAA Legal and Research support further provides regular updates on issues and developments in the immigration and asylum field.

Lost/Stolen Property

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will list those items valued at more than £50 which have been stolen or lost from her Department in each of the last four years.

Rosie Winterton: The figures are as in the table:
	
		
			 Date of incident Items stolen/lost Value (£) 
		
		
			  Financial year 1997–98 
			 11 April 1997 Cash 200.00 
			 26 April 1997 Cash 55.00 
			 1 May 1997 TV/video 450.00 
			 11 May 1997 Cash 500.00 
			 11 May 1997 Printers x 4 1,000.00 
			 16 May 1997 Video recorder 350.00 
			 20 May 1997 Printer 250.00 
			 22 May 1997 Laser printer and fax machine 250.00 
			 3 June 1997 Laptop 1,000.00 
			 1 July 1997 Recorder and CD 1,000.00 
			 17 August 1997 Laser printer 250.00 
			 18 August 1997 Pen 150.00 
			 9 September 1997 Laptop 1,500.00 
			 15 September 1997 Video recorder 250.00 
			 7 November 1997 Desk tops x 5 and printer 300.00 
			 22 November 1997 Video recorder 250.00 
			 16 December 1997 PC 1,500.00 
			 22 December 1997 Laptop 1,500.00 
			 6 January 1998 Laptop 1,000.00 
			 9 January 1998 PC 1,000.00 
			 12 January 1998 Printer, keyboard and telephone 250.00 
			 17 February 1998 Answering machine 73.00 
			 5 March 1998 Assorted cutlery 65.00 
			 12 March 1998 External security light 100.00 
			 19 March 1998 Laptop 50.00 
			 19 March 1998 Colour TV and file server 50.00 
			 20 March 1998 File server and chips 3,000.00 
			 21 March 1998 Cufflinks 50.00 
			 27 March 1998 Cash 160.00 
			 29 March 1998 Keyboards x 4, mouse and barcode reader 300.00 
			   
			 Total  16,853.00 
			
			  Financial year 1998–99 
			 3 April 1998 Cash 230.00 
			 14 April 1998 Contents of payphone 80.00 
			 18 May 1998 PC 150.00 
			 19 May 1998 CPU's missing 1,000.00 
			 29 May 1998 Video recorder 200.00 
			 2 June 1998 Mobile phone 100.00 
			 12 June 1998 Computers x 4 4,000.00 
			 12 June 1998 PC 250.00 
			 24 June 1998 Laptop 1,300.00 
			 27 June 1998 TV and CD radio 800.00 
			 29 June 1998 TV/video, TV, radio 800.00 
			 10 June 1998 Wallet 130.00 
			 11 July 1998 Safe and laser printer 50.00 
			 14 July 1998 Laptop 2,000.00 
			 15 July 1998 Safe 1,015.00 
			 20 July 1998 Cash 102.00 
			 21 July 1998 Roof lead 1,500.00 
			 21 July 1998 External security camera 200.00 
			 24 July 1998 Laptop 1,300.00 
			 27 July 1998 First aid boxes 148.00 
			 5 August 1998 Pen and lighter 90.00 
			 6 August 1998 Office CD 350.00 
			 12 August 1998 CD/radio 129.00 
			 20 August 1998 Mobile phone 95.00 
			 17 September 1998 Video recorder 350.00 
			 24 September 1998 Printer 200.00 
			 21 October 1998 Handbag and contents 110.00 
			 29 October 1998 Printer 700.00 
			 10 December 1998 Laptop 2,500.00 
			 14 December 1998 Handbag and contents 50.00 
			 16 December 1998 Vacuum cleaner 100.00 
			 29 March 1999 Specialist phone 50.00 
			 1 April 1999 Payphone and cash 500.00 
			 Total  20,628.00 
			
			  Financial year 1999–2000 
			 10 April 1999 Cash 67.00 
			 26 April 1999 Payphone 505.00 
			 9 May 1999 Roof lead 500.00 
			 15 June 1999 Mobile phone 113.00 
			 4 July 1999 Union flag and rope 65.00 
			 11 August 1999 PC 1,500.00 
			 17 August 1999 Payphone 340.00 
			 20 August 1999 Laptop 1,500.00 
			 20 August 1999 Laptop 1,500.00 
			 24 August 1999 Payphone 340.00 
			 15 September 1999 Cash 340.00 
			 16 September 1999 Payphone 200.00 
			 26 September 1999 TV and CD player 318.85 
			 13 October 1999 Mobile phone 158.25 
			 21 October 1999 Mobile phone 50.00 
			 29 November 1999 Wallet and contents 120.00 
			 9 December 1999 Laptop 200.00 
			 10 January 2000 Hard drives x 3 600.00 
			 13 January 2000 Video camera 500.00 
			 2 February 2000 Payphone 50.00 
			 16 March 2000 Dictaphone 69.81 
			 19 March 2000 Vending machine 340.00 
			 Total  9,376.91 
			
			  Financial year 2000–01 
			 3 April 2000 Barrier rope 116.00 
			 3 April 2000 Rope 116.32 
			 12 April 2000 Cash and cheques 73,000.00 
			 21 April 2000 Electronic postal scales 500.00 
			 18 May 2000 PC base units x 15 15,000.00 
			 13 June 2000 Handbag and personal palm pilot 400.00 
			 22 June 2000 TV/video 250.00 
			 28 June 2000 PC's x 54 16,000.00 
			 1 July 2000 Laptop 1,500.00 
			 3 July 2000 Mobile phone 50.00 
			 3 July 2000 Mobile phone 50.00 
			 27 July 2000 Cash 2,300.00 
			 8 August 2000 Mobile phone 117.50 
			 10 August 2000 Laptop 1,000.00 
			 30 August 2000 Union flag 109.24 
			 20 September 2000 Payphone 550.00 
			 21 September 2000 Laptop 500.00 
			 27 September 2000 Laptop 1,500.00 
			 27 September 2000 Laptop 1,500.00 
			 28 September 2000 TV/video 160.00 
			 28 September 2000 TV/video 160.00 
			 6 October 2000 PC 150.00 
			 11 November 2000 Laptops x 9, keyboards x 2, projector and mobile phone 25,000.00 
			 15 November 2000 Laptop 500.00 
			 16 December 2000 Cash 140.00 
			 11 January 2001 Department mobile phone 100.00 
			 2 February 2001 CCTV camera 600.00 
			 Total  151,369.06

Theft and Fraud

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what her estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each of the last four years.

Rosie Winterton: It is not possible to distinguish the figures between the Department and its agencies. Available figures for the cost of theft and fraud for each of the last financial years are:
	
		
			  Department and agencies (£) NDPBs (£ million) 
		
		
			 1997–98 21,721.52 1.08 
			 1998–99 79,923.02 0.8 
			 1999–2000 21,558.40 3.2 
			 2000–01 159,817.87 4.1 
		
	
	Figures for the current financial years are not yet available.

Newspaper Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been the expenditure of the Lord Chancellors (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies on newspaper advertising by title for each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Newspaper advertising is used for a very wide range of public information and recruiting purposes across the national, regional and local press of England and Wales. While some recruitment has been handled centrally since August 2001, the bulk is delegated to Communications, People and Learning Centres on behalf of group managers and records of expenditure on advertising are only available from individual court and group managers' offices. A breakdown of advertising per year by title since 1997 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Crown Court Proceedings

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the annual costs of Crown court proceedings where the defendant has elected trial by jury were in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: This information is not available in the format requested. However, the most recent estimate of the average cost of contested Crown court proceedings is £21,250 per case, falling to £3,550 in proceedings where a guilty plea is entered. 15,500 defendants elected to be tried by a jury in the year to September 2001, and it is known that many who so elect later enter a guilty plea.

Unified Criminal Court

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the net change in the number of magistrates which would be needed to implement the creation of a new district division of a unified criminal court and associated changes as proposed in Lord Justice Auld's report "Review of the Criminal Courts"; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the net cost of establishing a new district division of a unified criminal court and associated changes as proposed in Lord Justice Auld's report "Review of the Criminal Courts"; if he will give a breakdown of available figures; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: The Government have taken no decisions on Sir Robin Auld's Review report. The period of comment closes on 31 January. The Government will then be considering the recommendations in detail, including assessments of costs, benefits, and associated factors such as the numbers of magistrates needed to implement them. The Government will announce their conclusions by way of a White Paper in the spring.

Census Website

Edward Davey: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what quality checks were built into the contract between the Public Record Office and QinetiQ.

Rosie Winterton: The contract between the Public Record Office and QinetiQ Ltd. makes comprehensive provision for quality checks, which are covered by commercial confidentiality. These checks have been carried out, and will continue to be carried out, at the appropriate times.

Census Website

Edward Davey: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the final tender price of the contract won by QinetiQ from the Public Record Office to design, build and maintain the website for the 1901 Census was.

Rosie Winterton: The final tender price of the contract is commercially sensitive information, which it would be inappropriate to put into the public domain.

Ministerial Transport

Bob Russell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Lord Chancellor last used the railway service in connection with this official duties; what station he left from and to what destination; and whether it is his intention to make greater use of the railways in future.

Michael Wills: The Lord Chancellor last used the railway service in connection with his official duties on 11 January—the date of his most recent official visit. The journey was between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria. The Lord Chancellor will continue to use the railway for official travel as appropriate. All arrangements for official travel are made in line with the guidance set out in Chapter 7 of the "Ministerial Code", and the accompanying guidance document "Travel by Ministers", using the most efficient and cost effective mode of transport, and bearing in mind security considerations.

TREASURY

Overseas Dividends

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers receive income from overseas dividends; and what was the gross sum received before tax in the last year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: It is not possible to provide a reliable estimate.

Income Tax

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of gross income is paid in income tax, national insurance contributions and VAT by (a) a married man with a non-earning wife and two children and (b) a married man with an earning wife and two children at (i) half, (ii) one and a half, (iii) two, (iv) three, (v) five, (vi) 10 and (vii) 50 times national average earnings in 2001–02; and what were the comparative figures for 1997–98.

Andrew Smith: The available information is given in the table. Estimating the impact of indirect taxes on these very specific family types is meaningless because spending patterns vary considerably between households of the same type and income.
	
		
			  Multiples of median earnings  
			  50 per cent. 150 per cent. 200 per cent. 300 per cent. 500 per cent. 1,000 per cent. 5,000 per cent. 
		
		
			  Single-earner married couple, two children 
			 1997–98
			 £ per week
			 Gross income 160.37 481.10 641.46 962.19 1,603.65 3,207.30 16,036.50 
			 Income tax 11.35 85.12 132.50 260.79 517.37 1,158.83 6,290.51 
			 NICs 11.08 41.54 41.54 41.54 41.54 41.54 41.54 
			 Child benefit (CB) 20.05 20.05 20.05 20.05 20.05 20.05 20.05 
			  Percentage of gross earnings 
			 Net income tax 7.1 17.7 20.7 27.1 32.3 36.1 39.2 
			 NICs 6.9 8.6 6.5 4.3 2.6 1.3 0.3 
			 Net income tax + NICs-CB 1.5 22.2 24.0 29.3 33.6 36.8 39.4 
			 2001–02
			 £ per week
			 Gross income 188.07 564.22 752.30 1,128.44 1,880.74 3,761.48 18,807.40 
			 Income tax 7.85 90.60 156.57 310.39 611.30 1,363.60 7,381.97 
			 NICs 10.11 47.72 48.80 48.80 48.80 48.80 48.80 
			 Child benefit (CB) 25.85 25.85 25.85 25.85 25.85 25.85 25.85 
			 WFTC 79.98 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			  Percentage of gross earnings 
			 Net income tax -38.4 16.1 20.8 27.5 32.5 36.3 39.3 
			 NICs 5.4 8.5 6.5 4.3 2.6 1.3 0.3 
			 Net income tax + NICs-CB -46.7 19.9 23.9 29.5 33.7 36.9 39.4 
			  Two-earner married couple, two children   
			 1997–98
			 £ per week
			 Gross income 160.37 481.10 641.46 962.19 1,603.65 3,207.30 16,036.50 
			 Income tax 0.00 64.86 101.74 175.51 398.57 1,040.03 6,171.71 
			 NICs 6.12 38.19 54.23 75.07 83.08 83.08 83.08 
			 Child benefit (CB) 20.05 20.05 20.05 20.05 20.05 20.05 20.05 
			  Percentage of gross earnings 
			 Net income tax 0.00 13.5 15.9 18.2 24.9 32.4 38.5 
			 NICs 3.8 7.9 8.5 7.8 5.2 2.6 0.5 
			 Net income tax + NICs-CB -8.7 17.3 21.2 24.0 28.8 34.4 38.9 
			 2001–02
			 £ per week
			 Gross income 188.07 564.22 752.30 1,128.44 1,880.74 3,761.48 18,807.40 
			 Income tax 0.00 67.08 108.46 197.24 470.31 1,222.61 7,240.98 
			 NICs 2.58 39.02 57.83 85.24 97.60 97.60 97.60 
			 Child benefit (CB) 25.85 25.85 25.85 25.85 25.85 25.85 25.85 
			 WFTC 60.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			  Percentage of gross earnings 
			 Net income tax -31.9 11.9 14.4 17.5 25.0 32.5 38.5 
			 NICs 1.4 6.9 7.7 7.6 5.2 2.6 0.5 
			 Net income tax + NICs-CB -44.3 14.2 18.7 22.7 28.8 34.4 38.9 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Income tax payments are calculated on the basis that the households receive no tax reliefs other than the standard allowances and only have income from employment. All earners are assumed to pay Class 1 national insurance contributions at the contracted-in rate.
	2. Earnings are taken to be the median gross weekly earnings of all full-time employees on adult rates with pay unaffected by absence.
	3. In line with the convention in the Tax Benefit Reference Manual, child benefit is treated as negative income tax.
	4. For the two-earner family it is assumed that earnings are split 60/40 per cent.

Income Tax

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of people of pensionable age are liable for income tax; what the total tax yield from people of pensionable age is; what the average income is of people of pensionable age before and after tax; and what the average percentage of income paid in tax by people of pensionable age is.

Dawn Primarolo: In 2001–02, 4.3 million (four in 10) people of pensionable age are liable to income tax. Pensionable age taxpayers have a total tax liability of £8.5 billion in 2001–02. The mean before tax income for pensioner taxpayers in 2001–02 is £15,800 pa and the mean after tax income is £23,850 pa. Tax as a percentage of total income for pensionable age taxpayers is 12.6 per cent.
	These estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and are consistent with the November 2001 pre-Budget report. Non-taxable income such as ISA income is excluded from the analysis as individual details are not known.

Inheritance Tax

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals in each of the last four years have been granted exemption from inheritance tax in relation to chattels declared to be open to inspection by the public.

Dawn Primarolo: Exemption is not generally granted to individuals, but to executors of a deceased person's estate and/or to the trustees of trusts in which the deceased person was involved. On that basis, exemption was granted to chattels in their own right in 59, 74, 39 and 21 cases in the years 1997–98 to 2000–01 respectively. Exemption was also granted in three, six, two and no cases respectively for chattels which are historically associated with a heritage building. Exemption claims often cover more than one chattel or collection of chattels.

Incomes

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many tax units in 2001–02 will be on (a) twice, (b) five times and (c) 10 times average earnings or more;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of taxpayers earn less than (a) three-quarters and (b) two-thirds of median male earnings in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: Available estimates for the numbers of individual taxpayers in 2000–01 and proportions in the income ranges specified are given.
	
		
			 Employee taxpayers in 2000–01 with earnings in the range Number Proportion of all employee taxpayers 
		
		
			 Over twice average earnings (million) 1.04 — 
			 Over five times average earnings (thousand) 150 — 
			 Over 10 times average earnings (thousand) 14 — 
			 Less than three-quarters of median male earnings (million) 10.2 48 
			 Less than two-thirds of median male earnings (million) 11.7 55 
		
	
	Average earnings and male median earnings are based on the New Earnings Survey first release.
	Estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and consistent with the November 2001 pre-Budget report.

Incomes

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the net change in the annual income of a married couple with one earner and two school age children living in rented accommodation for which they pay average council house rent and average rates of a 1 per cent. cut in the basic rate of tax before and after taking account of any change in entitlement to housing benefit and WFTC, assuming that the earner is on (a) half and (b) one and a half times average earnings.

Dawn Primarolo: A married couple with one earner on half median earnings (£9,800 per annum) and two school age children would benefit by £34 a year from a 1 per cent. cut in the basic rate of income tax before taking account of working families tax credit and by £15 a year after taking account of working families tax credit. On one and a half times median earnings (£29,400 per annum) this family would not be eligible for working families tax credit and would benefit by £230 a year from a 1 per cent. cut in the basic rate of income tax. A single earner family with two school age children and paying average council house rents would not be eligible for housing benefit on either half median earnings or one and a half times median earnings.

Incomes

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) average and (b) median income is of (i) married couples and (ii) single people, whether liable to income tax or not, in 2001–02; and what percentage of (A) married couples and (B) single people fall below the average for their group.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not available.

Works of Art (Access)

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what actions his Department has taken in each of the last four years to make the public aware of their rights of access to homes containing works of art granted exemption from inheritance tax.

Dawn Primarolo: The Revenue website dedicated to information about tax-exempt works of art remains the primary vehicle for informing the public, as it has been since its launch in 1996. The site was redesigned in 2000 to make it more user-friendly and to give fuller information about public access to heritage assets. The number of hits on the site has increased from less than 1,000 per month at the beginning of 1998 to around 15,000 per month currently.
	Owners of tax-exempt heritage assets, particularly historic houses and their contents, increasingly maintain their own websites or have some other presence on the internet: we now offer such owners the facility of a link from the Revenue website.
	The Revenue website can be accessed direct at www.cto.eds.co.uk or through the Revenue's main website at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk.

Tax Allowances

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will estimate the savings in a full year at 2001–02 rates of restricting all allowances and reliefs to the standard rate of tax broken down by category of allowance and relief;
	(2)  what extra revenue would result from allowing all tax allowances at the standard rate of tax only.

Dawn Primarolo: The full year yield in 2001–02 from restricting the personal allowances (including the blind person's allowance) to 22 per cent. is estimated at £2.6 billion.
	I regret that estimates for the effect of restricting all allowances and reliefs to the standard rate of tax broken down by category of allowance and relief could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Capital Gains Tax

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many (a) basic rate and (b) higher rate taxpayers paid capital gains tax in 2000–01;
	(2)  what the projected increase or reduction in capital gains tax liability is of the (a) top 1 per cent., (b) top 5 per cent., (c) top 10 per cent., (d) bottom 25 per cent. and (e) bottom 10 per cent. in 2001–02; and what the total number was of tax units estimated to be liable.

Dawn Primarolo: The latest available information on the distribution of the income and gains of capital gains taxpayers is in table 14.3 and projections of taxpayer numbers are in table 1.4 of the online edition of "Inland Revenue Statistics" which can be accessed on the Inland Revenue website www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats.

Tax Receipts

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the total revenue from income tax was paid by the top five per cent. of taxpayers in each of the last four years.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to "Inland Revenue Statistics" table 2.4, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The latest version can be accessed on the Inland Revenue website www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/it_t04_1.htm.

Tax Receipts

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the capital gains tax receipts and the corporation tax receipts were for each of the Inland Revenue districts in (a) Greater London, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in current and in constant prices for each of the last four years.

Dawn Primarolo: Total receipts of capital gains tax and of corporation tax in each of the last four years are given on the Inland Revenue website at: http:// www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/tax_t02_1.htm.
	Receipts information in the detail requested is not available.

Tax Receipts

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many people paid inheritance tax in each of the last 10 years; and how much tax was paid in each year;
	(2)  what the total annual revenue yield was from stamp duty on property purchases in each of the last 10 years;
	(3)  what the total payments were of capital gains tax; and how many people made them in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The requested information on receipts of tax and number of taxpayers is available in tables 1.2 and 1.4 of the online edition of Inland Revenue Statistics—http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats. Further breakdowns of stamp duty yield are given in table 15.1, with earlier years in the equivalent table of the paper publication, Inland Revenue Statistics 1997.

Higher Rate Taxpayers

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many higher rate taxpayers there were in 2000–01; and what their average income was.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the "Inland Revenue Statistics" table 2.1, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The latest version can be accessed on the Inland Revenue website http:// www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/it_t01_1.htm.
	The average income of higher rate taxpayers in 2000–01 is around £69,000.

Share Gains

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the capital gains tax and corporation tax yields from gains in quoted shares and gains in unquoted shares (a) in 2000–01 and (b) expected in 2001–02.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the asset distribution of gains of capital gains tax payers and of non-life companies for 1998–99, the latest year for which figures are available, is in tables 14.4 and 14.7 respectively on the online edition of "Inland Revenue Statistics" which can be accessed on the Inland Revenue website www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats.
	It is not possible to measure directly the tax yield due to separate asset classes as some reliefs (including annual exempt amount) are given against aggregate gains.

Age Allowance

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people (a) eligible for and (b) in receipt of age allowances (i) are on high marginal tax rates, (ii) are on basic rate tax and (iii) pay no income tax.

Dawn Primarolo: People should get their age allowance if they tell the Inland Revenue of their date of birth. The number getting age related allowances, in 2001–02, for each of the categories requested is given in the table:
	
		Million 
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Top rate (40 per cent.) taxpayers 0 
			 Basic rate (22 per cent.) taxpayers 2.2 
			 Non taxpayers 2.3 
		
	
	These estimates are based on the survey of personal incomes and are consistent with the November 2001 pre-Budget report.

Revenue Losses (Farm Incomes)

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue lost to the Inland Revenue as a result of the reduction in farm incomes in the last four years.

Dawn Primarolo: PAYE tax by sector and income from self-employment by sector are available in tables 2.10 and 3.9 of Inland Revenue Statistics. The latest version can be accessed on the Inland Revenue website: http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/ it_t10_1.htm and http://www:inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/ income_distribution/pi_t09_1. htm.

Child Poverty (London)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will put in place measures to enhance the impact of the working families tax credit on reducing child poverty in London; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The working families tax credit, combined with other tax and benefit reforms since 1997, means that there are now 1.2 million fewer children in relative poverty than there would otherwise have been.
	In August 2001, 95,000 families with children were receiving the working families tax credit in London, compared with 58,900 London families who received its predecessor family credit in August 1999. This represents a 61 per cent. increase in London which is greater than the increase across the United Kingdom as a whole over the same period.
	The Government keep under constant review the effectiveness of the working families tax credit across all areas of the United Kingdom. They continue to put in place measures to encourage those who are eligible to take up the tax credits to which they are entitled.

Regulations

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the regulations which entail a cost to public funds and estimate the cost in each case.

Andrew Smith: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The cost to 'public funds' (exchequer costs) is considered at the policy development stage of any new regulatory proposal, and a Regulatory Impact Assessment is completed unless there are no or negligible costs.
	Where Ministers choose a regulatory option, they must be satisfied that the benefits justify the costs.

Married Couples Allowance

David Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many pensioner couples in 2000–01 in north-west Leicestershire did not receive the married couples allowance available until 5 April 2000 because neither was 65 before 6 April 2000;
	(2)  how many pensioner couples in 2000–01 did not receive the married couples allowance available until 5 April 2000 because neither was 65 before 6 April 2000.

Dawn Primarolo: There were some 100,000 couples where at least one partner was aged 65 in 2000–01 not receiving the married couples allowance because neither was 65 before 5 April 2000. This estimate is based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and is consistent with the November 2001 pre-Budget report.
	I regret that because of small sample sizes, it is not possible to provide a reliable estimate for the numbers in North-West Leicestershire.

Child Tax Credit

Andy Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of families in receipt of (a) the child tax credit and (b) the child care tax credit in the Loughborough constituency.

Dawn Primarolo: Information about the children's tax credit is not available by constituency. However, the number of families who are eligible for CTC in the east midlands is estimated to be 400,000.
	Analyses of the numbers of recipients of child care support within working families tax credits and disabled person's tax credits by parliamentary constituency were published in "Working Families' and Disabled Person's Tax Credit Statistics: Geographical Analyses August 2001" on 8 January 2002 by the Inland Revenue.

Child Tax Credit

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what end of year reconciliation information about incomes will have to be supplied by recipients of the proposed child tax credit; which group of recipients will have to supply such information; by what mechanism this information will be collected; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Clause 17 of the Tax Credits Bill requires that a person who has received a tax credit award to be given the opportunity, after the end of the year, to provide details of their income and circumstances so that the Inland Revenue is able to finalise their award on the correct basis.
	The Inland Revenue will issue a notice to those people. The notice will set out the circumstances and income on which the award is based. It will then be for claimants to respond, making clear any respects in which the information held needs to be updated.

Railtrack

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what implications Railtrack's successor's (a) spending and (b) borrowing requirements will have for the PSBR.

Andrew Smith: Railtrack's successor is expected to be in the private sector. Its spending and borrowing will have no impact on public sector net borrowing.
	Government subsidies and investment grants paid to the rail industry add to public sector net borrowing. This will be the same when Railtrack's successor is established.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Fund

David Marshall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the distribution of moneys to the members of the Scottish Transport Group pension fund; when he expects these payments to be made; and what rate of tax will be applied to such payments.

Andrew Smith: The Scottish Executive are taking forward matters regarding the distribution of moneys to members of the Scottish Transport Group pension fund, following its announcement in November 2001 on the pension fund surplus. The tax payable on payments to pensioners will depend on the nature of the payment and the personal tax circumstances of the individual.

International Aid

Tony Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the Government proposes to fulfil the commitment at the 2000 G8 Summit in Okinawa that no countries seriously committed to education for all will be thwarted in their achievements of this goal by lack of resources; what information he has collated on the actions of the other G8 countries to meet this commitment; and if he will make a statement.

Clare Short: I have been asked to reply.
	The international response to the resource commitment made at the World Education Forum in Dakar (and endorsed by the G8 at Okinawa) has been slow and has lacked effective co-ordination. At the Education for All High-Level Group meeting in Paris in October, I called for international action to be stepped up in a coherent, well-organised and supportive way.
	Achieving universal primary education (UPE) can happen only through reform and action at the country level. More attention needs to be given to determining whether a country is "seriously committed" to education for all. Key indicators of commitment are the development of sound national education policies, closely linked to the country's poverty reduction strategies; the rapid abolition of user fees and other direct cost barriers to education; the resources allocated to education, and specifically to primary education; and concrete evidence of efforts to promote gender equality. Being serious about UPE means clear commitments in all of these areas.
	Where countries are making these commitments, the international community must deliver the additional resources they require. We believe that delivering this Dakar resource commitment is best analysed and acted upon at the country level. It should be incorporated into all country level negotiations on poverty reduction strategies. It will also require a step-change in the level of international financing to support and sustain UPE, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Development agencies and the multilateral development banks, including the World bank, must increase the resources committed to helping reforming Governments deliver UPE. We also need much greater co-ordination between development agencies, working together in support of a country's own development strategy.
	DFID's "Children out of school" paper sets out these proposals and urges much greater international energy and co-operation in taking them forward. It also calls for the response of the developed world to the Dakar resource commitment to be monitored and reported at the World bank annual meeting, and in the report on progress towards the millennium development goals provided by the multilateral developments banks for the G8.
	The Government give high priority to the UPE goal and DFID has committed over £600 million to support the development of good quality, sustainable primary education systems in developing countries since 1997. We will do more. Canada shares our strong commitment to UPE and now chairs the G8 Education Task Force, where DFID represents the UK. Information submitted to the task force indicates clearly that the priority given to primary education within other G8 members' development programmes varies significantly. We would like the task force's report to this year's summit in Canada to indicate how the G8 can deliver effectively on its Okinawa commitment, and complement other international action to accelerate progress toward the UPE goal.

Seaside Amusement Arcades

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the economic impact on seaside amusement arcades of recommendation 43 of the Budd report.

Paul Boateng: The Government have made no such assessment.

Hourly Wages

Llew Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average hourly wage in each travel to work area is at the latest date for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Kidgell to Mr. Llew Smith, dated 21 January 2002
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the average hourly earnings by travel to work area. I am replying in his absence. (28505)
	The New Earnings Survey (NES) provides earnings data for full-time employees on adult rates of pay. The most recent estimates for average hourly earnings for all travel to work areas in Great Britain are for April 2000. I have deposited a table showing these in the House of Commons Library.

Breast Cancer Survival Rates

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the survival rates were for victims of breast cancer in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) South Tyneside in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Kidgell to Mr. Stephen Hepburn, dated 21 January 2002
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on the survival rates for breast cancer in (a) the UK and (b) South Tyneside. I am replying in his absence. (28065).
	Figures are not available for the United Kingdom as a whole or for local authority areas. The latest available five-year relative survival rate from breast cancer for women in Gateshead and South Tyneside Health Authority is 75%, the same as in England as a whole. These figures relate to women diagnosed in 1992–94 and followed up to 31 December 1999.

Theft and Fraud

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each of the last four years.

Ruth Kelly: The information provided was compiled from information supplied to the Treasury for inclusion in the Government fraud reports for the years 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01. These figures do not include some external thefts and fraud but we cannot guarantee that this is the complete picture as there is no requirement for Departments to report details of all external thefts and frauds to us. Departmental returns include details of cases relating to their agencies but our records are not detailed enough to allow us to provide separate figures for departments and agencies. Data relating to NDPB are not collected for inclusion in the fraud report.
	
		Cost of theft and fraud—HM Treasury
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1997–98 15,385 
			 1998–99 20,867 
			 1999–2000 21,630 
			 2000–01 0

Lost/Stolen Property

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those items valued at more than £50 which have been stolen or lost from his Department in each of the last four years.

Ruth Kelly: The information is as follows:
	
		£ 
		
			   Item(s) Cost (approximately) 
		
		
			 1998 1 Laptop PC 2,500 
			
			 1999 1 Desktop PC 2,000 
			  1 Laptop PC 2,000 
			  1 Laptop PC 3,000 
			
			 2000 1 LCD Projector 2,000 
			  2 Disk Drives 300 
			  1 Laptop PC 2,000 
			
			 2001 1 Laptop PC 2,000 
			  1 Personal Data Assistant (PDA) 250 
			  1 Laptop PC 2,000

Bank and Building Society Interest

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax is paid annually by basic rate taxpayers on bank and building society interest.

Ruth Kelly: The amounts are included in "Inland Revenue Statistics" table 2.6, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The latest version can be accessed on the Inland Revenue website http:// www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stat/income_tax/it_t06_1.htm.

Advertising Campaigns

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list advertising campaigns undertaken by his Department and associated non- departmental public bodies since May 1997; what the cost of each campaign was; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: With regards to advertising campaigns by HM Treasury, I refer the hon. Member to my reply given to the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner) on 15 January 2002, Official Report, column 432W, and the reply given to the former hon. Member for Guildford, Mr. St. Aubyn, on 18 May 2000, Official Report, column 258W, by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary.

National Lottery

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total receipts from Lottery duty are since the inception of the Lottery.

Paul Boateng: Receipts from Lottery duty since its introduction in December 1994 are shown in the table.
	
		Lottery duty 
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 December 1994 to March 1995 103,905 
			 1995–96 611,912 
			 1996–97 557,777 
			 1997–98 674,517 
			 1998–99 627,606 
			 1999–2000 609,173 
			 2000–01 596,386 
			 2001–02 (to November 2001) 387,309

Aggregates Levy (Scotland)

Robert Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the aggregates levy in Scotland.

Paul Boateng: A Regulatory Impact Assessment for the aggregates levy was published at the time of Budget 2000. It is available from the Customs and Excise website.

Fraud

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list each of the central Government bodies which have reported fraud cases in each of the last four years, indicating for each body (a) the number of cases, (b) the number of staff involved in each case and (c) the total value of frauds.

Ruth Kelly: The information in the table was compiled from data supplied to HM Treasury by Departments for the annual fraud report in 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01 and is an analysis of internal frauds only (ie frauds committed by departmental employees).
	The list of Departments is not complete. The absence of a Department from the list indicates that a 'nil' return was received from that Department in each of the four years. The data relate to frauds and thefts committed by employees of Departments only.
	The values of frauds supplied by Departments are often only estimated values as a number of cases reported each year are at an early stage of investigation when values might not be known.
	
		
			 Department Number of cases Number of staff involved Total value (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98
			 MAFF 6 6 10,729 
			 Cabinet Office 8 8 8,094 
			 COI
			 Crown Office
			 CPS 3 3 630 
			 Customs and Excise 35 36 36,369 
			 MOD 213 216 585,750 
			 FCO 2 2 155,949 
			 Health 11 12 49,411 
			 Home Office 24 24 15,447 
			 Inland Revenue 5 5 9,996 
			 Land Registry
			 LCD 12 12 6,092 
			 National Savings
			 Northern Ireland Office 1 1 0 
			 OFT
			 DSS/DWP 233 250 926,707 
			 Scotland Office/Assembly 2 2 1,722 
			 DTI 23 23 24,714 
			 Treasury Solicitor
			 ONS 2 2 3,100 
			 DETR/DTLR 11 11 3,661 
			 DfEE/DfES 18 27 98,436 
			 PRO 1 1 680 
			 Scot Court Service 1 1 33,428 
			 Forestry Commission 1 1 705 
			 NI Court Service
			 DFID 3 3 2,732 
			 Ordnance Survey
			 HMT 11 11 11,385 
			 Ofsted
			 Charity Commissioners
			 GCHQ 1 1 80 
			 House of Commons and Lords
			 National Assembly for Wales 2 2 200 
			 
			 1998–99
			 MAFF 12 12 10,817 
			 Cabinet Office 8 8 12,522 
			 COI 1 1 15,263 
			 Crown Office 1 1 2,472 
			 CPS 4 4 3,058 
			 Customs and Excise 39 40 79,380 
			 MOD 129 129 829,404 
			 FCO 10 13 102,227 
			 Health 6 6 66,882 
			 Home Office 48 48 83,416 
			 Inland Revenue 7 7 139,462 
			 Land Registry 16 16 13,564 
			 LCD 3 3 64,274 
			 National Savings 5 5 487 
			 Northern Ireland Office 3 3 6,515 
			 OFT 1 1 253 
			 DSS/DWP 199 238 455,585 
			 Scotland Office/Assembly 3 3 11,022 
			 DTI 37 37 102,084 
			 Treasury Solicitor 1 1 1,037,912 
			 ONS 11 11 10,305 
			 DETR/DTLR 10 12 1,889 
			 DfEE/DfES 21 28 19,114 
			 PRO 4 4 1,696 
			 Scot Court Service 1 1 548 
			 Forestry Commission
			 NI Court Service
			 DFID
			 Ordnance Survey
			 HMT
			 Ofsted
			 Charity Commissioners
			 GCHQ
			 House of Commons and Lords
			 National Assembly for Wales
			 
			 1999–2000
			 MAFF 16 16 10,117 
			 Cabinet Office 24 24 28,126 
			 COI
			 Crown Office
			 CPS
			 Customs and Excise 53 53 140,049 
			 MOD 77 77 268,416 
			 FCO 4 4 11,183 
			 Health 22 22 28,917 
			 Home Office 16 16 136,517 
			 Inland Revenue 7 7 826,939 
			 Land Registry 18 18 10,956 
			 LCD 3 3 2,710 
			 National Savings 1 1 5,249 
			 Northern Ireland Office 9 9 23,711 
			 OFT
			 DSS/DWP 220 261 417,152 
			 Scotland Office/Assembly 1 1 1,596 
			 DTI 23 23 18,646 
			 Treasury Solicitor 1 1 250 
			 ONS 8 8 7,062 
			 DETR/DTLR 21 23 30,451 
			 DfEE/DfES 22 33 46,122 
			 PRO
			 Scot Court Service
			 Forestry Commission 1 1 535 
			 NI Court Service 1 1 7,822 
			 DFID 4 4 11,220 
			 Ordnance Survey 4 4 58 
			 HMT 6 6 19,130 
			 Ofsted 1 1 2,503 
			 Charity Commissioners 3 3 700 
			 GCHQ
			 House of Commons and Lords
			 National Assembly for Wales
			 
			 2000–01
			 MAFF 2 2 4,242 
			 Cabinet Office 3 3 4,227 
			 COI
			 Crown Office
			 CPS
			 Customs and Excise 33 34 53,962 
			 MOD 151 151 493,029 
			 FCO 9 9 16,326 
			 Health 27 27 34,626 
			 Home Office 71 71 108,724 
			 Inland Revenue 11 13 187,518 
			 Land Registry 25 25 4,496 
			 LCD 2 2 387 
			 National Savings
			 Northern Ireland Office 4 4 5,225 
			 OFT
			 DSS/DWP 137 143 71,112 
			 Scotland Office/Assembly 1 1 0 
			 DTI 12 12 6,043 
			 Treasury Solicitor 1 1 170,000 
			 ONS 4 4 2,500 
			 DETR/DTLR 23 23 40,027 
			 DfEE/DfES 7 7 402,063 
			 PRO
			 Scot Court Service
			 Forestry Commission
			 NI Court Service 3 3 440 
			 DFID 5 6 7,709 
			 Ordnance Survey 1 1 550 
			 HMT
			 Ofsted
			 Charity Commissioners 1 1 750 
			 GCHQ 2 2 1,610 
			 House of Commons and Lords 1 1 100 
			 National Assembly for Wales 3 3 12,379

Euro

Andy Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to allow United Kingdom businesses to make dual currency VAT returns to Customs and Excise where they trade in sterling and euros.

Ruth Kelly: No. The euro is treated for VAT return purposes as any other foreign currency.

Euro

Andy Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the total cost to United Kingdom businesses of additional administrative costs following the introduction of euro notes and coins.

Ruth Kelly: It is not possible to estimate the administrative costs to United Kingdom businesses of the introduction of the euro in the euro area. This would depend on the approach taken by individual organisations.

"Promoting Sport in the Community"

Andy Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of his consultation document, "Promoting Sport in the Community", were printed; and how many responses he has received to the consultation.

Paul Boateng: 5,000 copies of the "Promoting Sport in the Community" consultation document were printed and it is also available on the Treasury public internet site. A number of responses to the consultation have been received and consultation continues.

Public Sector Money

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons (a) the £162 million payment due on 1 October 2001 to Renewco was classified as public sector money and (b) the £1.2 billion loan to Railtrack administration was not classified as public sector money.

Andrew Smith: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) determined that Renewco's activities would be classified to the public sector. The decision was based on the application of internationally agreed definitions for national accounts. This means borrowing by Renewco would be public sector borrowing and add to public sector net debt. The borrowed funds are therefore "public sector money". Payments by Government to Renewco would be transfers of public sector money within the public sector and so would have no impact on the consolidation public sector statistics.
	Loans to Railtrack's administrator count as lending by the public sector to the private sector. That lending has to be funded from public sector sources such as taxes or government borrowing, and so is "public sector money". The lending is expected to be repaid before the end of March 2002 and so would have no impact on the fiscal balances and expenditure measures for the financial year as a whole.

Gift Aid

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the reasons underlying his statement in the pre-Budget report that the generosity of Gift Aid has been increased; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: In his pre-Budget report statement the Chancellor stated that Gift Aid was being more widely used. This is a result of reforms he introduced from April 2000 to improve incentives for giving to charity. A larger number of donors can now use Gift Aid following the abolition of the £250 million minimum limit on Gift Aid donations. This has brought into the scheme the large number of smaller donations, which were previously excluded.

Child Benefit

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 12 December 2001, Official Report, column 891W, on child benefit, what the yield would be for 2002–03 of taxing child benefit payments to (a) recipients paying tax at the higher rate and (b) higher rate tax payers in a couple where one partner receives child benefit, with child benefit rates at £26.25 per week for the first child and £17.60 per week for subsequent children.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 15 January 2002
	If child benefit were increased to £26.25 per week for the first child and £17.60 per week for subsequent children and made taxable for higher rate taxpayers, it is estimated that it would yield about £0.1 billion of income tax. If it were taxable at the higher rate for any family with a higher rate taxpayer (regardless of who received the benefit) it would yield around £1.0 billion of income tax.

Climate Change Levy

Richard Bacon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the results of the impact of the introduction of the climate change levy on the priority given to energy efficiency by United Kingdom energy managers; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 18 January 2002
	The climate change levy is designed to promote greater energy efficiency. Part of the levy revenue is being recycled to provide enhanced advice on energy efficiency to business and to provide support for energy efficiency investments. As the levy package has only been operational since April 2001, it is too early for an assessment to be made of its impact.

Census

David Curry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what he estimates to be the minimum threshold in respect of persons and households compatible with the requirements of confidentiality about individuals which will permit effective data to be made available through the 2001 Census;
	(2)  how many parishes in (a) North Yorkshire and (b) England will fall below the minimum threshold of 100 persons/40 households for the purposes of the 2001 Census carried out by the Office for National Statistics.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Kidgell to Mr. David Curry, dated 21 January 2002
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent questions asking:
	(i) what he estimates to be the minimum threshold in respect of persons and households compatible with the requirements of confidentiality about individuals which will permit effective data to be made available through the 2001 Census (28863); and
	(ii) how many parishes in (a) North Yorkshire and (b) England will fall below the minimum threshold of 100 persons/40 households for the purposes of the 2001 Census (28862).
	I am replying in his absence.
	As part of the disclosure control measures being adopted to protect the confidentiality of personal information provided in the 2001 Census, we have recently announced that standard statistical output, other than simple headcounts, will not be released for small areas below a population threshold of 100 resident persons and 40 resident households.
	The design of output areas recognises the need to identify parishes separately in the 2001 Census, but the number of parishes that fall below this threshold will not be known until the processing of data is completed later this year. Using information from the 1991 Census, we would estimate that some 215 parishes in North Yorkshire and 1230 in England would fall below the 2001 Census threshold.

Scottish Bus Group Pension Fund

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has had discussions with Scottish Ministers concerning the Scottish Bus Group pension fund holders.

Andrew Smith: Treasury Ministers have held discussions on the matter with Scottish Ministers.
	The Scottish Executive are taking forward matters regarding the Scottish Bus Group pension fund, following its announcement in November 2001 on the pension fund surplus.

Scottish Bus Group Pension Fund

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has discussed with the Scotland Office the Scottish Bus Group pension fund holders.

Andrew Smith: Treasury Ministers have held discussions on the matter with Scotland Office Ministers.
	The Scottish Executive are taking forward matters regarding the Scottish Bus Group pension fund, following its announcement in November 2001 on the pension fund surplus.

Scottish Bus Group Pension Fund

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received representations from members of the Scottish Parliament about the Scottish Bus Group pension fund holders.

Andrew Smith: My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations on this matter.

Scottish Bus Group Pension Fund

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received representations from the Scottish Bus Group pension fund holders.

Andrew Smith: My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations on this matter.

HEALTH

Social Services Departments

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 8 November 2001, Official Report, column 351W, on social services departments, if he will set out the amount of unallocated funds within the departmental expenditure limit (a) at the start of the financial year, (b) now and (c) the forecast outturn.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 15 November 2001
	The information requested is given in the table.
	
		2001–02 departmental unallocated provision -- £000
		
			  Plan Forecast outturn(23) 
		
		
			 NHS(24) 350,000 0 
			 Personal social services 82,750 2,750 
			  
			 Total 432,750 2,750 
		
	
	(23) This is the forecast outturn that will be reported to Parliament shortly in the spring supplementary estimates.
	(24) This is the total departmental unallocated provision for the national health service of which £90 million is for revenue expenditure and £260 million for capital expenditure. The planned departmental unallocated provision for PSS was for revenue expenditure only.

BCG Vaccine

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the availability of the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis in schools in Arundel and South Downs.

Hazel Blears: Our policy is that all school children should be BCG immunised between ages 10 to 14 if they have not previously been immunised. Initially, in West Sussex, this vaccine was offered to those students who were due to leave school in summer 2001. Where there has been sufficient vaccine and resources year 10 pupils were also offered testing and immunisation. Any current year 10 and 11 pupils who have not yet been offered vaccine will be offered testing and immunisation during this academic year.

Standards Reports

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the reasons for the delay in publishing the standards reports relating to (a) cleanliness and (b) decontamination announced on 14 November 2000.

Hazel Blears: There has been no delay in publishing the standards reports relating to hospital cleanliness. So far as decontamination is concerned, we took the view that improving the standard of decontamination in the national health service was more important than reporting on it. We therefore asked the assessors to help with drawing up action plans and check on their implementation. We have published the results of the preliminary and comprehensive surveys of decontamination today. Copies will be placed in the Library.

Community Equipment Services

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what systems are in place to ensure that social services and NHS trusts have agreed budgets for community equipment services by April 2002.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 10 December 2001
	Statutory guidance issued to health and local authorities in March 2001 explained the requirement to make adequate financial provision for modernising local community equipment services. Several systems of financial and performance monitoring encourage commissioners and providers to identify and agree budgets for community equipment services for the coming financial year. These include spring and autumn monitoring exercises with senior managers of social services. Budgetary commitments agreed in local business plans by social services and national health service trusts feed into local modernisation reviews and planning for the integration of local services.

Home Helps, Buckingham

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many home helps are working in the constituency of Buckingham.

Hazel Blears: Data on the number of home helps are not available by parliamentary constituency. As at 30 September 2000 there were 52 full-time and 661 part-time home helps employed by Buckinghamshire county council. This is equivalent to approximately 410 whole-time staff.

NHS Dentists

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the adult population in (a) Devon and (b) Torbay was registered with NHS dentists in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99, (iii) 1999–2000 and (iv) 2000–01.

Hazel Blears: The percentage of adults registered with a general dental service (GDS) dentist per head of population is shown in the table for South and West Devon health authority and North and East Devon health authority for 30 September in each of the years 1997–98 to 2000–01.
	The registration rates for September 1997 are not comparable with the later figures. The September 1997 rates reflect a 24-month registration period; the later figures reflect a 15 month registration period.
	Devon is covered by the South and West Devon HA and North and East Devon HA. Information is not available by constituency area for the percentage of adult registrations per population.
	
		General dental services: percentage of the adult registrations(25) per population(26), 1997–98 to 2000–01
		
			 September each year South and West Devon HA North and East Devon HA 
		
		
			 1997–98(27) (27)51 (27)50 
			 1998–99 43 43 
			 1999–2000 41 45 
			 2000–01 42 48 
		
	
	(25) Based on the number of adult registrations at September for each financial year.
	(26) ONS mid-year adult population estimates used to calculate percentage of adult patients registered.
	(27) Registration rates reflect a 24-month registration period rather than 15 months which is the basis of the later figures.

NHS Dentists

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the correlation between inadequate coverage of NHS dentistry in a given area and a higher than average incidence of oral cancer.

Hazel Blears: With an incidence of oral cancer of some 2,500 new cases per year it is not possible to make significant comparisons with provision of national health service dentistry by area especially as confounding factors like use of tobacco and alcohol would need to be eliminated. Nevertheless, we recognise that dentists have a unique opportunity both to warn patients of the risks from smoking and to identify pre-cancerous signs of oral cancer. We are committed to improving access to NHS dentistry.

Mixed Sex Wards

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mixed sex hospital wards are in use in the United Kingdom.

Hazel Blears: Guidance on maintaining privacy and dignity was first issued to the service in 1997 and since then the national health service has been working towards a clear target to eliminate mixed sex accommodation in 95 per cent. of national health service trusts by December 2002.
	It is not possible to provide information at the level of the individual ward. The majority of hospital wards are usually subdivided into bays which are designated as male or female. Depending on the case mix and local need, the exact proportion of male to female bays will vary.

Mixed Sex Wards

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's progress on their plan to abolish mixed sex wards by 2002.

Hazel Blears: We have set a target of December 2002 for the provision of single sex accommodation in 95 per cent. of trusts.
	On-going monitoring of the progress of the project continues and indicates that progress towards the targets is being maintained and work is continuing to ensure that this remains so.

Water Fluoridation

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the Government's policy on the fluoridation of water.

Hazel Blears: Our current policy is to encourage health authorities with high levels of dental decay among their populations to consider the option of fluoridation as part of their overall oral health promotion strategy. Before asking their water suppliers to introduce fluoridation of the water supply, health authorities are required to undertake wide-ranging consultation with their local population to establish support for fluoridation.
	The Medical Research Council has been commissioned to provide scientific advice regarding the health effects of water fluoridation and to suggest priorities for any further research which may be required. We will be reviewing our policy in the light of their report which is expected next year.

Health Expenditure, Isle of Wight

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the expenditure was on non-national health service nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the Isle of Wight health authority in the financial years (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Multiple Sclerosis Drugs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of NICE's provision appraisal determination estimate for implementing a positive guidance on beta interferon and glatiramer acetate;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of NICE's Provisional Appraisal Determination estimate for implementing positive guidance on beta interferon and glatiramer acetate.

Hazel Blears: We are currently holding discussions with the manufacturers to consider a range of options under which drugs for multiple sclerosis might be made available under the national health service. One option is a 'risk-sharing' scheme which will evaluate their clinical and cost effectiveness, and until these discussions are concluded we cannot provide the information requested.

Breast Cancer

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in the Buckinghamshire health authority area referred urgently with suspected breast cancer waited for more than two weeks for an out-patient appointment for each reporting period since March 1999.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Year Quarter Part 00–14 target Beyond 14 day target 
		
		
			 1999–2000 1 Referrals within 24 hours 186 6 
			 1999–2000 1 Referrals not within 24 hours 13 6 
			 1999–2000 2 Referrals within 24 hours 158 5 
			 1999–2000 2 Referrals not within 24 hours 13 8 
			 1999–2000 3 Referrals within 24 hours 212 5 
			 1999–2000 3 Referrals not within 24 hours 12 15 
			 1999–2000 4 Referrals within 24 hours 246 9 
			 1999–2000 4 Referrals not within 24 hours 14 10 
			 2000–01 1 Referrals within 24 hours 248 9 
			 2000–01 1 Referrals not within 24 hours 26 13 
			 2000–01 2 Referrals within 24 hours 224 11 
			 2000–01 2 Referrals not within 24 hours 15 4 
			 2000–01 3 Referrals within 24 hours 274 11 
			 2000–01 3 Referrals not within 24 hours 22 5 
			 2000–01 4 Referrals within 24 hours 262 5 
			 2000–01 4 Referrals not within 24 hours 16 1 
			 2001–02 1 Referrals within 24 hours 285 16 
			 2001–02 1 Referrals not within 24 hours 22 1 
			 2001–02 2 Referrals within 24 hours 213 41 
			 2001–02 2 Referrals not within 24 hours 16 6 
		
	
	Source:
	Quarterly Central Return QCW, Code QA8

NHS Census

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many responses to the NHS census he received from people living in the Buckingham constituency.

Hazel Blears: There has been no national health service census. The acute trust patient survey is currently scheduled to take place between January and March 2002. The survey will be part of a programme that the Government are putting in place throughout England. Hospital trusts will carry out a specially designed patient survey programme to seek views on the patient experience.
	Improving the experience of the individual patient is central to the NHS Plan. By finding out more, in this systematic manner, we will increase our knowledge of what patients need and expect from the NHS and how well the service responds to their needs and expectations.

Pharmacies

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community pharmacies in the Buckingham constituency (a) closed and (b) opened in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Number of community pharmacies in the Buckinghamshire health authority area that opened and/or closed 1997–98 to 2000–01
		
			 Year Opened Closed 
		
		
			 1997–98 0 0 
			 1998–99 1 0 
			 1999–2000 1 0 
			 2000–01 2 2 
		
	
	Source:
	PHS1 return

Pharmacies

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest percentage reduction of fees for community pharmacists for dispensing NHS prescriptions.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 8 January 2002
	The fees paid to community pharmacy contractors vary according to the item prescribed. The large majority of prescriptions attract a basic dispensing fee. From July 1999 to October 2001 that fee was 97.5p per prescription dispensed. In November 2001 it was changed to 87.4p. This represents a reduction of approximately 10.4 per cent.
	The basic dispensing fee is one of a number of fees and allowances by which the global sum for community pharmacies is distributed between pharmacy contractors. The global sum is the amount to be paid to contractors overall in the year in question. The global sum for 2001–02 for England and Wales is £806.6 million, an increase of 3.7 per cent. over 2000–01.

Pharmacies

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the future of pharmacy within the national health service.

Hazel Blears: Our programme for the future of pharmacy in the national health service in England was set out in "Pharmacy in the Future—Implementing the NHS Plan" published in September 2000, a copy of which is in the Library.

Pharmacies

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was allocated to pharmacists for the dispensing of prescriptions; how many prescriptions were dispensed; and what was the unit cost allowed for each prescription in each year from 1992 to 2001.

Hazel Blears: Each year, a figure (known as the global sum) is set for the remuneration to be paid to pharmacies overall in England and Wales for the national health service pharmaceutical services they provide.
	The total remuneration to be paid in any given year is distributed through a system of fees and allowances, some of which relate directly to the number (and type) of prescriptions dispensed, some of which do not.
	For the years 1991–92 to 2000–01 (the latest year for which complete information is available), the table shows the global sum, the number of prescription items dispensed and the global sum expressed as an amount per prescription item.
	
		
			 Year Global sum (£ million) Prescription items dispensed (million) Global sum expressed as an amount per prescription item dispensed (£) 
		
		
			 1991–92 601.4 412.8 1.46 
			 1992–93 631.1 429.4 1.47 
			 1993–94 640.6 447.3 1.43 
			 1994–95 655.3 462.2 1.42 
			 1995–96 671.7 474.7 1.41 
			 1996–97 692.7 487.9 1.42 
			 1997–98 709.3 505.8 1.40 
			 1998–99 730.6 518.3 1.41 
			 1999–2000 755.1 535.7 1.41 
			 2000–01 777.8 531.8 1.38

Pharmacies

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to replace the global sum approach to the payment of pharmacists for dispensing NHS prescriptions.

Hazel Blears: We have no current plans to replace the present global sum system.

Waiting Lists

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in the Buckinghamshire health authority area waited more than (a) three months, (b) six months, (c) nine months, (d) 12 months, (e) 15 months, (f) 18 months and (g) 24 months for (i) heart operations, (ii) cancer treatment and (iii) hip replacements in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is in the table.
	
		Number of Buckinghamshire HA residents admitted from a waiting list where the primary operation was a heart operation or hip replacement, or where treatment was for a primary diagnosis of cancer, by time waited
		
			Time from referral for treatment to admission  
			 Data year Operation/condition Up to 3 months More than 3 months More than 6 months More than 9 months 
		
		
			 1997–98 Diagnosis of Cancer (ICD10 C00 to D48) 5,962 668 310 198 
			 1998–99 Diagnosis of Cancer (ICD10 C00 to D48) 5,994 835 452 268 
			 1999–2000 Diagnosis of Cancer (ICD10 C00 to D48) 6,377 793 337 181 
			 2000–01 Diagnosis of Cancer (ICD10 C00 to D48) 5,595 708 281 151 
			   
			 1997–98 Heart operations (OPCS4 K01 to K71) 651 192 94 47 
			 1998–99 Heart operations (OPCS4 K01 to K71) 867 354 141 57 
			 1999–2000 Heart operations (OPCS4 K01 to K71) 888 328 103 36 
			 2000–01 Heart operations (OPCS4 K01 to K71) 831 536 174 93 
			   
			 1997–98 Hip replacement (OPCS4 W37 to W39) 137 276 194 108 
			 1998–99 Hip replacement (OPCS4 W37 to W39) 130 331 221 137 
			 1999–2000 Hip replacement (OPCS4 W37 to W39) 163 314 210 139 
			 2000–01 Hip replacement (OPCS4 W37 to W39) 100 361 257 161 
		
	
	
		
			Time from referral for treatment to admission  
			 Data year Operation/condition More than 12 months More than 15 months(28) More than 18 months(28) More than 24 months(28) 
		
		
			 1997–98 Diagnosis of Cancer (ICD10 C00 to D48) 110 32 10 5 
			 1998–99 Diagnosis of Cancer (ICD10 C00 to D48) 142 58 24 8 
			 1999–2000 Diagnosis of Cancer (ICD10 C00 to D48) 81 37 13 6 
			 2000–01 Diagnosis of Cancer (ICD10 C00 to D48) 77 31 19 12 
			   
			 1997–98 Heart operations (OPCS4 K01 to K71) 23 10 1 0 
			 1998–99 Heart operations (OPCS4 K01 to K71) 28 7 2 1 
			 1999–2000 Heart operations (OPCS4 K01 to K71) 14 7 2 1 
			 2000–01 Heart operations (OPCS4 K01 to K71) 36 19 6 1 
			   
			 1997–98 Hip replacement (OPCS4 W37 to W39) 57 28 9 1 
			 1998–99 Hip replacement (OPCS4 W37 to W39) 89 41 13 2 
			 1999–2000 Hip replacement (OPCS4 W37 to W39) 77 43 17 3 
			 2000–01 Hip replacement (OPCS4 W37 to W39) 87 58 23 10 
		
	
	(28) The time spent waiting for admission is calculated for HES purposes as being the period elapsed from the initial decision to admit until the date that the patient is actually admitted. This takes no account of any periods when the patient may have been unavailable for admission, or may have been suspended from the waiting list for medical reasons. It is for this reason that this analysis apparently shows patients waiting over 15 months. The waiting time figures published by the Department of Health take these situations into account.
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES)

Waiting Lists

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list NHS trusts by length of average waiting time (a) to see an orthopaedic specialist and (b) for a non-emergency orthopaedic operation.

John Hutton: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
	The in-patient average waiting time is calculated as the median time waited so far for patients who were on the trauma and orthopaedics in-patient waiting list at end September 2001, that is it looks at patients who are still waiting for treatment.
	For out-patients, the total number of patients still waiting for a first out-patient appointment is not collected. As a result, the average is calculated using data for patients who have already been seen for their first out-patient appointment. Hence the average is calculated as the median waiting time of patients seen during Quarter 2 2001–02 for a first out-patient appointment in trauma and orthopaedics specialty following general practitioner referral.
	The in-patient and out-patient averages are approximations only, particularly for trusts who see very few patients. It is difficult to accurately calculate the average.

Waiting Lists

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list average accident and emergency waiting times by NHS trust for (a) triage and (b) definitive treatment in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Waiting Lists

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the NHS trusts in England where more than 10 per cent. of patients are suspended from the waiting list for an in-patient operation.

John Hutton: Trusts with a suspension rate of more than 10 per cent. are shown in the table.
	
		In-patient waiting list data, England, position at quarter end September 2001
		
			 NHS Trusts with a suspension rate of over 10 per cent. Suspension rate (percentage) 
		
		
			 East Cheshire NHS Trust 10.0 
			 Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust 10.0 
			 Eastbourne and County Healthcare NHS Trust 10.0 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare NHS Trust 10.0 
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 10.1 
			 Wirral Hospital NHS Trust 10.2 
			 Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust 10.3 
			 Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust 10.3 
			 Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust 10.4 
			 Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust 10.5 
			 Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust 10.5 
			 Rotherham General Hospitals NHS Trust 10.6 
			 North Dorset PCT 10.7 
			 Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust 10.8 
			 Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust 11.1 
			 Gloucestershire Royal NHS Trust 11.2 
			 Greenwich Healthcare NHS Trust 11.3 
			 Hastings and Rother NHS Trust 11.4 
			 South West Dorset PCT 11.4 
			 Harrogate Health Care NHS Trust 11.6 
			 Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust 11.9 
			 Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust 13.0 
			 North West Anglia Healthcare NHS Trust 13.1 
			 Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust 13.4 
			 Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 13.4 
			 Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust 13.9 
			 Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Trust 15.1 
			 Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust 16.0 
			 Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust 16.1 
			 West Dorset General Hospitals NHS Trust 16.2 
			 Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust 16.3 
			 Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde Community Health Services NHS Trust 17.6 
			 Mental Health Services of Salford NHS Trust 21.8 
			 South Staffordshire Healthcare NHS Trust 26.0 
			 Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust 31.6 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health forms KH07 and KH07A

Care Homes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which national minimum standards care homes will have to be fully compliant with from 1 April 2002.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 19 December 2001
	National minimum standards that will not apply to care homes from 1 April 2002 are those relating to training and environmental requirements. Specifically, existing care homes will have until 2005 to comply with the standards requiring a minimum of 50 per cent. of care staff to be qualified at NVQ level 2 or equivalent. Existing care homes will have until 2007 to comply with the standards relating to room size, shared facilities and places in single rooms.
	However, non-compliance with national minimum standards will not lead to the National Care Standards Commission automatically pursuing enforcement action or deregistration. Instead it will seek to agree actions to be taken by homes to ensure compliance with standards within a reasonable time frame—unless vulnerable service users are at serious risk as a result of non-compliance. The national minimum standards are intended to be a means of assisting care homes to improve the quality of their services as well as a vehicle to protect vulnerable people.
	Not all of the standards relate to all care homes as some are aimed at specialist provision only.

Western General Hospital, Swindon

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new beds are to be purchased for the new Western General Hospital in Swindon; how many new beds have been purchased; where they are presently stored; how they will be transported to the new hospital; what their total cost was; how their dimensions compare with the dimensions of the doors and lifts through which they must pass; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not available centrally.

Citizens Council

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisation will be used to prepare and organise meetings of the Citizens Council.

John Hutton: I understand that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has not yet appointed an organisation to prepare and organise meetings of the Citizens Council.

Citizens Council

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if there will be a time limit imposed between ceasing to work in specified capacities and joining the Citizens Council.

John Hutton: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is considering this matter.

Citizens Council

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which categories of desired members of the Citizens Council will be targeted by outreach selection from the electoral register.

John Hutton: It is important that the Citizens Council reflects the range of different views of society within England and Wales. Outreach selection will be used to complement the results of open advertisement. The categories of members which need to be enhanced through outreach selection will become apparent once the first stage—open advertisement—is complete.

Citizens Council

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if an independent body will be responsible for evaluating the meetings of the Citizens Council.

John Hutton: I understand that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence intends to recruit an independent body to evaluate the meetings of the Citizens Council.

Citizens Council

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many subjects Citizens Councils are expected to cover each year.

John Hutton: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has not yet made a decision on this point.

Citizens Council

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if members of the Citizens Council will be paid travel and accommodation expenses to attend its meetings.

John Hutton: Yes.

Citizens Council

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what briefing will be given to members of the Citizens Council which will advise NICE.

John Hutton: The nature of the briefing will be a matter for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

Citizens Council

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long people will remain in the pool of potential members of the Citizens Council; and if the requirements for membership of this pool differ from that for full members of the council.

John Hutton: I understand that the pool of potential members will exist solely in order for members to be selected. Once the selection has taken place, the pool will cease to exist.

Citizens Council

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated annual cost to public funds will be of the new Citizens Council to advise NICE.

John Hutton: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is currently considering the detailed arrangements for the Citizens Council and these will be published in the institute's business plan.

Citizens Council

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what will be the ratio of membership between England and Wales of the members of the Citizens Council which will advise NICE; and what recruitment mechanism will be used to select members.

John Hutton: The appointment of members to the Citizens Council is a matter for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. We are confident that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence will ensure that the constitution of the council will contain representatives from all walks of life from England and Wales. We therefore do not consider it necessary to be prescriptive about the number of members from each country.

A and E (IT)

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations have taken place with (a) the Royal College of Nursing and (b) other representatives of nurses over the new IT provision in A and E.

Hazel Blears: The Royal College of Nursing, the chair of the Royal College of Nursing Accident and Emergency Nurses Group and a representative of the Royal College of Nursing Faculty of Emergency Nursing are part of the consultation process for the new clinical assessment system—the information technology system that is currently being introduced to accident and emergency departments.

Efficiency Task Force

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what have been the annual financial savings generated by the work of the NHS Efficiency Task Force since its inception.

John Hutton: The national health service Efficiency Task Force was an advisory group that made a very helpful contribution in taking forward the Government's programme to improve efficiency. It is not possible to ascribe specific financial savings to the work of the task force.

Public Relations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the projects on which his Department collaborates with Headline Communications, indicating how much money has been paid to Headline Communications in the past year.

Hazel Blears: Headline Communications have provided the Department with design services for a variety of projects including:
	Health and Social Care Awards
	Association of Healthcare Communicators Conference
	NHS Direct
	NHS Magazine
	NHS Syndication Service
	NHS Photo Library
	NHS Plan News.
	Moneys paid to Headline Communications from 1 December 2000 to 30 November 2001 amounted to £24,161.48 inclusive of VAT.

Public Relations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the projects on which his Department collaborates with Atlas PR, indicating how much money has been paid by his Department to Atlas PR in the past year.

Hazel Blears: Atlas PR have provided the Department with a variety of communications services on the following projects:
	NHS Magazine
	NHS.uk
	Walk in Centres
	Patient and Public Information website
	Association of Healthcare Communicators Conference
	NHS Quality Programme
	NHS Plan
	NHS syndication service
	DH and NHS Corporate Exhibitions and Events
	NHS Plan News
	NHS Direct
	Health and Social Care Awards.
	Moneys paid to Atlas Public Relations from 1 December 2000 to 30 November 2001 amounted to £807,148.60 inclusive of VAT.

Mental Health

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met his independent reference group on mental health.

Jacqui Smith: The last meeting of this group took place on 11 February 1998. My right. hon Friend the Secretary of State for Health has never met with this reference group, however my right hon. Friend the Member for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng), when Under- Secretary of State for Health, met with the group at their last meeting on the 11 February 1998. The independent reference group discontinued its work in 1998

Mental Health

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the Secretary of State for Education in order to discuss the training for state schools in the skills and knowledge to ensure children have access to early assessment and support in relation to mental health.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 8 January 2002
	My right hon. Friend has not met with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to discuss this topic. We recognise the importance of promoting children's mental health and emotional well-being and the importance of working together to promote this.
	We have an on-going commitment to the improvement of child mental health and it will be an important part of the Children's National Service Framework. We shall be working closely with the Department for Education and Skills when developing the mental health module of the framework. This is a major development and will safeguard the quality of child mental health services.

Mental Health

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Government expects to publish its strategy for women's mental health.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 18 January 2002
	The Department will publish the women's mental health consultation document in the spring and, after a period of consultation, will publish the strategy implementation document in the autumn.

Nursing and Residential Care Homes

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing and residential care homes in each health authority have closed in each year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: The total number of residential and nursing care establishment closures in 1999 and 2000, together with number of new registrations, are shown in the table. Regular statistical collections on nursing and residential care home closures were first introduced for the year ending 31 March 1999. Reliable information is not available for each health authority.
	
		Care home establishment closures and new home registrations -- in England
		
			   Year ending 31 March  
			  1999 2000 
		
		
			  Establishment closures 
			 Residential 885 1,510 
			 Nursing 245 360 
			
			  New registrations 
			 Residential 1,540 1,920 
			 Nursing 245 345 
		
	
	Source:
	Registration and Inspection Survey

Clinical Indicators

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the clinical indicators announced on 9 July 1997 were adopted as performance measures.

John Hutton: The Department published a consultation paper to the national health service in July 1997 which proposed a set of 15 clinical indicators. Following consultation six indicators were published in "Quality and performance in the NHS: Clinical Indicators" in June 1999 and in "Quality and performance in the NHS: NHS Performance Indicators" in July 2000.
	The six indicators published were:
	Deaths in hospital following surgery
	Deaths in hospital following a fractured hip
	Deaths in hospital following a heart attack
	Readmission to hospital following discharge
	Returning home following treatment for a stroke
	Returning home following treatment for a fractured hip.

NICE-Approved Therapies

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new funding will be made available to health authorities to ensure the funding of all NICE-approved therapies.

Hazel Blears: We have recently announced an average 7.2 per cent. real terms increase in funding of the national health service.
	We expect health authorities and primary care trusts to fund treatments recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence from their general allocations.

Diabetes

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial support will be made available to GPs who seek to implement the delivery strategy prelude to the National Service Framework for Diabetes.

Jacqui Smith: The Diabetes National Service Framework Standards, published on 14 December 2001, include an analysis of the implications for planning and organising services. Those who are planning and investing in local diabetes services on an on-going basis will be able to take account of this in their plans for next year and beyond. Health improvement programmes and primary care implementation plans produced by health authorities, primary care groups and primary care trusts must include strategies for implementing National Service Frameworks.
	The delivery strategy for the Diabetes National Service Framework will follow this summer, for implementation from April 2003. We shall set milestones in the delivery strategy based upon the resources that will be available to support implementation.

Diabetes

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to introduce the National Standards Framework for diabetes.

Jacqui Smith: We published the Diabetes National Service Framework Standards on 14 December 2001. The delivery strategy will follow this summer, for implementation from April 2003.

National Institute for Clinical Excellence

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps are being taken to provide extra funding for new treatments approved by NICE mid-way though the financial year and to ensure that the funding of other treatments and services awaiting approval is not adversely affected;
	(2)  what steps are being taken by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to ensure that patients whose treatment has not been (a) examined and (b) approved by NICE will not assume a lower priority than patients on approved treatments;
	(3)  what steps are being taken by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to ensure that the provision of unapproved services is not affected by funding the cost of approved treatments.

John Hutton: Standing guidance in Health Service Circular 1999/176 advise national health service bodies to use their existing arrangements to determine local policies for treatments not referred to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence or pending guidance from NICE, using publicly available evidence to inform their decisions.
	The statutory obligation on health authorities and primary care trusts to provide appropriate funding for treatments recommended by NICE was introduced as part of our strategy to ensure consistency of access to treatments for patients.
	Funding is provided in baseline allocations to meet these commitments. NHS bodies are expected to take into account in-year pressures in developing their expenditure plans.

Health Care Provision (Value Comparisons)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to establish a body to compare the value of (a) extra district nurses and (b) counsellors with the cost-effectiveness of drugs and treatments.

John Hutton: We have no plans to establish such a body.

Tuberculosis

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of tuberculosis have been reported in the Portsmouth and South East Hampshire health authority in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Information on statutory notifications of tuberculosis (excluding chemoprophylaxis) are available from the Public Health Laboratory Service. Further local information can be obtained from the Chairman of Portsmouth and South East Hampshire health authority.
	The Department collects information on tuberculosis as part of the Hospital Episodes Statistic (HES) system, which contains details of patients admitted to and treated in NHS hospitals in England.
	
		Portsmouth and South East Hampshire health authority: admission -- for tuberculosis (ICD10 code A15-A19)
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1996–97 10 
			 1997–98 11 
			 1998–99 16 
			 1999–2000 28 
			 2000–01 27 
		
	
	Admissions are defined as the first period of patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Admissions do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.

Stroke Clinics

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions have taken place with concerned parties regarding funding of stroke clinics in the UK.

Jacqui Smith: The funding of stroke clinics is a matter for local discussion as set out in the recently published priorities and planning framework 2002–03. One of the priorities is to continue to implement on agreed time scales the National Service Framework for Older People.
	The NSF for Older People sets a milestone of April 2002 for every general hospital which cares for people with stroke to have plans to introduce a specialised stroke service as described in the stroke service model from 2004. The development for these plans will incorporate local service configuration, integration and any relevant aspects of local funding requirements/priorities.

Orthopaedic Consultants

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many orthopaedic consultants were working in NHS hospitals in Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth health authority in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The information requested is provided in the table.
	
		Hospital medical trauma and orthopaedic surgery consultants within Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth health authority area
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 10 
			 1998 10 
			 1999 20 
			 2000(29) 20 
		
	
	(29) As at 30 September 2000
	Notes:
	1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10.
	2. In 1997 and 1998 there were seven organisations within this HA:
	Merton and Sutton Community Healthcare NHS Trust
	Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA
	Pathfinder NHS Trust
	Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton NHS Trust
	St. George's Group NHS Trust
	St. Helier NHS Trust
	Wandsworth Community Health NHS Trust
	3. In 1999 and 2000 there were five organisations within this HA:
	Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust
	Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA
	Pathfinder NHS Trust
	South West London Community NHS Trust
	St. George's Group NHS Trust
	Source:
	Department of Health 2000 medical and dental work force census

CT/MRI Scanners

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) CT and (b) MRI scanners are in working use per head of population in each health authority area in England and Wales.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 8 January 2002
	There are currently approximately 5.7 CT scanners and 3.7 MRI scanners per million head of population in England. By the time that central programmes are complete in 2004 these figures will have risen to approximately 7.1 and 5.2 per million respectively.
	To provide these figures for every health authority in England would require disproportionate effort. However a breakdown by region has been provided in the tables.
	Information regarding CT and MRI provision in Wales is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.
	
		MRI scanners(30)
		
			 Region MRI scanners per region (December 2001) Population MRI scanners per million population (2001) MRI scanners per region—post NOF programmes 2003 MRI scanners per million—post programmes 2003 MRI scanners per million—post programmes 2004 
		
		
			 Eastern 18 5,377,003 3.35 20 3.72 — 
			 London 44 7,187,272 6.12 46 6.40 — 
			 North and Yorks 23 6,339,044 3.63 26 4.10 — 
			 North West 26 6,603,991 3.94 28 4.24 — 
			 South and West 18 4,901,316 3.67 20 4.08 — 
			 South East 29 8,619,633 3.36 32 3.71 — 
			 Trent 14 5,133,802 2.73 19 3.70 — 
			 West Midlands 15 5,332,521 2.81 19 3.56 — 
			  
			 Total 187 49,494,582 (31)3.70 210 (31)4.19 (32)5.20 
		
	
	(30) This table shows a regional breakdown of MRI installed in the NHS to date and on completion of central equipment programmes
	(31) Average
	(32) Projected average
	
		CT scanners(33)
		
			 Region CT scanners per region (December 2001) Population CT scanners per million population (2001) Post programme CT scanners per region—2003 CT scanners per million—post programmes 2003 CT scanners per million—post programmes 2004 
		
		
			 Eastern 24 5,377,000 4.46 28 5.21 — 
			 London 58 7,187,300 8.07 58 8.07 — 
			 North West 45 6,604,000 6.81 45 6.81 — 
			 Northern and Yorkshire 41 6,339,000 6.47 43 6.78 — 
			 South East 41 8,619,600 4.76 47 5.45 — 
			 South West 21 4,901,300 4.28 27 5.51 — 
			 Trent 27 5,133,800 5.26 29 5.65 — 
			 West Midlands 29 5,332,500 5.44 30 5.63 — 
			  
			 Total 286 49,494,500 (34)5.69 307 (34)6.14 (35)7.14 
		
	
	(33) This table shows a regional breakdown of CT installed in the NHS to date and on completion of central equipment programmes
	(34) Average
	(35) Projected average
	Note:
	For both CT and MRI London appears to have significantly larger numbers of machines per head of population than other regions. However, these figures are based on resident population and do not take account of the patients referred into London from elsewhere.

Surgical Instruments

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the extent of re-use of single-use surgical instruments in hospital trusts; what action has been taken against hospital trusts found to be re-using surgical instruments designated for single use only; and which items of surgical equipment in general hospital surgical theatres are normally designated for single use only.

Jacqui Smith: Designation of medical devices as single use is a matter for the device manufacturer. The Department has advised national health service trusts on a number of occasions that they should not re-use single use devices. Any trust found doing so during the recent comprehensive survey was advised to cease and such cessation was made part of the action plan.

Surgical Instruments

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of hospital trusts in England and Wales have an infection control policy in place regarding surgical instrument sterilisation.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 8 January 2002
	The Department does not routinely collect information about the details of national health service trusts' infection control policies. There is, however, a controls assurance standard dealing with infection control. This requires NHS trusts to ensure that written policies, procedures and guidance for the prevention and control of infection are implemented and reflect relevant legislation and published professional guidance, including that on decontamination and the reprocessing of re-usable medical devices.

Air Ambulances

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many air ambulances there are; and what plans he has to increase this number;
	(2)  what his Department is doing to encourage increased corporate sponsorship of air ambulances.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 8 January 2002
	In England, there are 12 air ambulance services provided by 12 independent air ambulance charities. These charities are responsible for the number of aircraft provided.
	Fund raising for air ambulances is organised by independent local charities. On all primary missions, air ambulances are called out directly to emergencies by the local ambulance service. Partnerships between the national health service and a whole range of charitable organisations can bring additional benefits to patients in particular circumstances.

GP Retirements

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners are due to retire in (a) Pendle and (b) the East Lancashire health authority in each year up to 2005; and what steps he is taking to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of younger general practitioners so that no practice closes.

John Hutton: Figures are not available centrally in the requested format. However, during 2002–03, 14 general practitioners in the East Lancashire health authority area are expected to retire. A further eight GPs are due to retire during 2003–04.
	18 GPs currently within the Pendle Primary Care Group are aged over 55.
	East Lancashire health authority are pursuing a number of initiatives both in the long and short term to help address the problems in recruiting and retaining GPs.
	Note:
	These figures have been extracted from a study by Lancashire university in 1998 relating to work force planning for general medical and other primary care staff.

Asthma

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will prepare a national service framework for asthma.

Jacqui Smith: There are currently no plans to establish a national service framework for asthma.

Belarus

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to complete an inter-country adoption agreement with Belarus.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 9 January 2002
	An inter-country adoption agreement is currently being drawn up between the United Kingdom and Belarus. The wording of the agreement is being finalised. Once this has been done, it will be signed by both countries in due course.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Royal College of General Practitioners about recognising ME as a clinical condition by GPs;
	(2)  what research his Department has commissioned into the diagnosis and treatment of ME;
	(3)  if he will issue guidance to health authorities to ensure that ME is recognised as a clinical condition by GPs and that patients are referred to appropriate specialists.

Jacqui Smith: We have not had specific discussions with the Royal College of General Practitioners about this issue. However the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME independent Working Group's report which was published on 11 January has been placed on the Chief Medical Officer's website so that it can be accessed by all interested parties including general practitioners. The report and the summary for clinicians should result in improved awareness and understanding of this condition.
	ME is mainly managed in primary care. The range of symptoms and other conditions associated with it should be investigated and treated by the most appropriate primary, community or secondary care service. Some patients are seen by neurologists, rheumatologists and psychiatrists.
	The Department has commissioned research into the diagnosis and treatment of ME/CFS and details are available on the National Research Register which can be accessed via the Department's research and development website—www.doh.gov.uk/research. The Department has asked the Medical Research Council to develop a broad strategy for advancing biomedical and health services research on chronic fatigue syndrome.

Operating Theatres

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to monitor health and safety standards in operating theatres.

Hazel Blears: The statutory responsibility for managing health and safety, including operating theatres, lies with the chief executive of a national health service trust.
	The Department has introduced controls assurance standards as part of performance management arrangements. There are 21 controls assurance standards including a health and safety standard, medical devices standard, infection control standard and a decontamination of medical devices standard.
	The controls assurance health and safety management standard requires that individual departments have health and safety policies, which address their own specific health and safety concerns.
	NHS trusts are required to undertake risk assessment and the implementation of action plans against criteria defined in the controls assurance standards. NHS trusts must include a controls assurance statement in their annual report.

NHS Staff Budget

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total staffing budget of the NHS was in financial year 2000–01 (a) as an actual figure and (b) as a percentage of the total NHS Budget; and what the equivalent estimates are for (a) and (b) in the NHS Budget for 2001–02.

John Hutton: Finalised figures for 2000–01 are not yet available. Provisional figures show that the hospital and community health service paybill in 2000–01 is £20.4 billion. This is 46 per cent. of the estimated net national health service expenditure in 2000–01 (£44.6 billion).
	Our estimate of the HCHS paybill in 2001–02 is £22.7 billion. This is 46 per cent. of the planned expenditure for the NHS in 2001–02 (£48.8 billion).

Revenue Support Grant

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the category and amount of each item of funding outside the revenue support grant which his Department made available to (a) Westminster and (b) Kensington and Chelsea in (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02.

John Hutton: The table lists the category and amount of funding outside the revenue support grant which the Department made available to Westminster in 2000–01 and 2001–02.
	
		£000 
		
			   2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 AIDS Support Grant 798 547 
			 Mental Health Grant 930 1,088 
			 Training Support Programme 319 355 
			 Partnership Grant(36) 1,500 — 
			 Prevention Grant(36) 222 — 
			 Promoting Independence Grant(36) — 1,979 
			 Carers' Grant 384 554 
			 Children's Grant 1,234 3,216 
			 Improving Information Management Grant(37) — 16,666 
			 Deferred Payments Grant(37) — 32 
			 Young People's Substance Misuse Planning Grant(37) — 51 
			 Building Care Capacity Grant(37) — 422 
			
			 Supplementary credit approvals:   
			 Mental Health 50 0 
			 AIDS/HIV 414 300 
		
	
	(36) The Partnership and Prevention Grants were amalgamated into the Promoting Independence Grant from 2001–02
	(37) The grants commenced in 2001–02
	The table lists the category and amount of funding outside the revenue support grant which the Department made available to Kensington and Chelsea in 2000–01 and 2001–02.
	
		£000 
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Aids Support Grant 816 592 
			 Mental Health Grant 780 891 
			 Training Support Grant 204 195 
			 Partnership Grant(38) 1,002 — 
			 Prevention Grant(38) 157 — 
			 Promoting Independence Grant(38) — 1,324 
			 Carers' Grant 270 393 
			 Children's Grant 916 2,390 
			 Improving Information Management Grant(39) — 16,666 
			 Deferred Payments Grant(39) — 26 
			 Young People's Substance Misuse Planning Grant(39) — 37 
			 Building Care Capacity Grant(39) — 265 
			
			 Supplementary credit approvals:   
			 Mental Health 0 350 
			 AIDS/HIV 0 0 
		
	
	(38) The Partnership and Prevention Grants were amalgamated into the Promoting Independence Grant from 2001–02
	(39) The grants commenced in 2001–02

Strategic Health Authorities

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the anticipated costs are of early retirement associated with the establishment of strategic health authorities.

John Hutton: The current re-organisation of the national health service involves a significant movement of staff. However, all staff are guaranteed employment until 2003. With this in mind, it is too early to indicate levels (and therefore costs) of early retirement resulting from the forthcoming structural changes.

Strategic Health Authorities

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the anticipated annual saving to the NHS budget is of replacing existing health authorities with the proposed strategic health authorities.

John Hutton: Strategic health authorities will not be replacing the existing 95 health authorities. Existing health authorities will be disestablished at the end of March and the vast majority of their functions transferred to primary care trusts. Strategic health authorities will have a new role: one of strategic development and performance management. However, the reductions in bureaucracy made as a result of the whole reform programme will lead over time to annual savings of £100 million.

NHS Directors (Early Retirement)

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many executive directors of NHS trusts and health authorities were allowed to retire early in financial year 2000–01; and what cost this represented to the NHS Budget.

John Hutton: The national health service does not hold details of the number of executive directors who were allowed to retire early in 2000–01, or the cost to the NHS Budget. However, the total compensation for loss of office paid in respect of all NHS directors in trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities, both executive and non-executive, was £3,652,000 for 2000–01.

Surgical Staff

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what new recruitment initiatives he plans to rectify the shortfall in surgeons in England; what assessment he has made of the feasibility of widening access to training programmes; what expenditure has been allocated to rectify the shortfall; by what date he expects the shortfall to be redressed; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the shortfall in surgical staff in England.

John Hutton: The NHS Plan work force numbers targets, updated in the Government's manifesto, provide the staff needed to deliver the NHS Plan up until 2005. International recruitment of medical staff including surgical staff is being taken forward to help deliver these targets.
	Increases in national health service staffing are funded from the general allocation to the NHS and for staff in training from the multi professional education and training budget. Spending plans beyond 2002–03 are currently being finalised as part of SR2002.
	Our current supply projections expect an increase of around 1,320 trained specialists to be available to take up surgical consultant posts by 2009–10. This reflects increases in the numbers of doctors in higher specialist training in surgery as a result of the NHS Plan. Projections to 2009–10 suggest an increasing gap between supply and demand may emerge without further action. We continually review future work force needs as part of our national work force planning processes and take action accordingly to address any shortfalls. This action includes increasing numbers in training but also modernising roles and developing new ways of working for doctors alongside other staff.

Paramedics/Hospital Staff (Assaults)

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many assaults there have been on paramedics and hospital staff in each year since 1997 in (a) the UK, (b) the north-east and (c) South Tyneside.

John Hutton: Information on the levels of violent incidents by individual staff group is not collected centrally, but may be held at a local level by national health service employers. Data on violent incidents involving all staff in the NHS were not collected centrally for 1997–98.
	The Department conducted a survey of NHS trusts in England in 1998–99. The survey found that, on average, seven violent incidents were recorded each month per 1,000 staff. This is equivalent to approximately 65,000 violent incidents against NHS trust staff each year. Details of the survey can be found in Health Service Circular 1999/229: "Managing Violence, Accidents and Sickness Absence in the NHS", a copy of which is in the Library. Figures for recorded violent incidents in 2000–01 are currently being analysed by the Department.
	The number of reported violent incidents for South Tyneside Health Care NHS Trust and for the North-East Ambulance Service NHS Trust is shown in the table.
	
		South Tyneside health care NHS trust
		
			 Calendar Year Violent incidents 
		
		
			 1997 27 
			 1998 114 
			 1999 326 
			 2000 558 
			 2001 401 
		
	
	
		North-east ambulance service NHS trust
		
			 Financial Year Violent incidents 
		
		
			 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998 39 
			 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999 66 
			 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000 142 
			 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 201 
			 1 April 2001 to 31 December 2001(40) 188 
		
	
	(40) To date
	The increase in reported violent incidents by staff is as a result of both on-going local and national campaigns to tackle violence against staff working in the NHS. The reduction in reported violence in 2001 is however a more meaningful comparison, indicating an actual reduction in violent incidents over that 12 month period.

Bed Blocking

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many delayed discharges there were in North Yorkshire in the last month for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: During the four week period ending 30 December 2001 North Yorkshire health authority reported an average of 78 delayed discharges a week.

Sunderland Health Authority

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the real terms increase in budget allocated to Sunderland health authority has been for each year from 1997 inclusive; and what the projected increase is in each of the next three years.

Jacqui Smith: The real terms increase in budget allocated to Sunderland health authority for each year from 1997 inclusive is shown in the table. From 1 April 2002 the Sunderland health authority will be absorbed into the Northumberland and Tyne and Wear health authority.
	
		Sunderland HA real terms revenue increase
		
			  £000 Percentage 
		
		
			 1997–98 2,950 2.10 
			 1998–99 3,251 2.31 
			 1999–2000 8,225 4.37 
			 2000–01 9,198 4.58 
			 2001–02 13,957 6.39

Correspondence

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to reply to the hon. Member of Colchester's letters to him of 2 October and 30 November 2001 on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Brookes and their son Peter.

Hazel Blears: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 9 January.

Medical Intervention Costs

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessments his Department has carried out in the last two years into the relative costs of medical interventions in the UK public and private health systems; if he will publish the results; if he will summarise the key conclusions; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The Department has recently conducted a survey of health authorities, primary care trusts and acute trusts on the levels of activity being commissioned in the private sector and the accompanying costs. The survey returns from the national health service are being validated and analysed. We expect to be able to share key findings shortly.
	The Department does not collect information about the cost of medical interventions in private hospitals for non-NHS patients.

Care Home Beds (Wiltshire)

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the change in the number of care home beds in (a) west Wiltshire district and (b) Salisbury district since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: Information for West Wiltshire and Salisbury districts is not collected separately. The table shows the number of places in residential care homes and registered beds in nursing homes, private hospitals and clinics in the Wiltshire area in 1997 and 2001.
	
		Residential places(41) and registered nursing beds in the Wiltshire(42) area in 1997 and 2001, as at 31 March
		
			  1997 2001 
		
		
			 Places in residential care homes 4,513 3,991 
			 Registered nursing beds in nursing homes(43),(44) 2,234 2,057 
			 Total care beds 6,757 6,048 
		
	
	(41) Excludes places in children's homes.
	(42) Information is presented for the area represented by the county of Wiltshire prior to local government re-organisation on 1 April 1997. Figures for 2001 relate to the unitary authority of Swindon and the reduced shire county area of Wiltshire. For both years, information on nursing beds relates to Wiltshire health authority (which equates to the former county of Wiltshire prior to local government re-organisation).
	(43) Registered beds in general and mental nursing homes, hospitals and clinics.
	(44) Information for registered nursing beds 1997 relates to the period 1 October 1996 to 31 March 1997.
	Source:
	Department of Health's annual returns

Hospital Beds (Buckinghamshire)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the patients awaiting discharge in inappropriately occupied beds in Wycombe and Amersham hospitals will have their future care practice funded by (a) the health authority, (b) the county social services department and (c) a combination of both; and what the equivalent figures were in January (i) 2001, (ii) 1999, (iii) 1998 and (iv) 1997.

Jacqui Smith: Information is not collected centrally in the format requested.
	Quarterly information for Buckinghamshire health authority, for patients aged 75 and over is available in the Library.

Hospital Car Parking Fees

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent guidance his Department has given NHS trusts with regard to car parking fees at hospitals.

John Hutton: Guidance on car parking charges was issued to national health service hospitals in March 1996. It is a matter for individual hospitals to decide whether or not to charge for car parking and the cost of such charges in the light of local circumstances. Where charges are introduced, patients who are eligible to claim reimbursement of travelling expenses under the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme may have the charges reimbursed.

Autism

Joyce Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the incidence of children with autism was in each district health authority in England in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The figures requested are not available. The Medical Research Council's recently completed review of the Epidemiology and Causes of Autism notes that differences in definitions used in the past make comparisons problematic. The review states that there is fairly good agreement in recent studies that autism spectrum disorders affect about 60 per 10,000 children under eight and more narrowly defined autism between 10 and 30 per 10,000.
	We are investigating ways of improving our data on autism. The Children in Need census issued in September/October 2001 is collecting data on the numbers of autistic children known to social services departments in England, who will be an important group within the overall total.
	In June 2001 the Department for Education and Skills carried out a pilot exercise on data collection on a broad range of types of Special Educational Needs involving 200 schools and is now considering introducing a requirement for schools and local education authorities to provide this information from 2003 or 2004. This is likely to include data on pupils with autism.

Funding Resources/Initiatives

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all (a) funding resources and (b) initiatives sponsored by his Department for (i) the private sector, (ii) the voluntary sector and (iii) local authorities.

John Hutton: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Learning Difficulties

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will discuss with MENCAP access to services by persons with learning difficulties.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 17 January 2002
	Our strategy for improving services for people with learning disabilities, their families and carers is set out in the white paper "Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century" published in March last year. MENCAP contributed to the development of the White Paper and is involved with the implementation of some of its proposals. The chief executive of MENCAP is a member of the Learning Disability Task Force, set up to oversee the implementation of "Valuing People".
	Ministers and departmental officials have met representatives of MENCAP on several occasions since "Valuing People" was published; I hope to meet them on 5 March.

Children's Rights Director

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consult on establishing a children's rights director; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 17 January 2002
	Draft Children's Rights Director Regulations were issued on 17 January for public consultation. It is envisaged that these regulations will establish the parameters of the children's rights director's initial role and functions. The consultation period will last for 12 weeks, to give enough time for interested parties to read and comment on the proposed draft regulations. Responses should be returned to the Department by 11 April 2002.
	The children's rights director will be a senior officer of the National Care Standards Commission, an independent, non-governmental public body established under the Care Standards Act 2000 to regulate social and health care services previously regulated by local councils and health authorities. The post-holder, Roger Morgan, will have a national overview of the rights of children receiving services regulated by the NCSC.

Delayed Discharges

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the numbers of people awaiting delayed discharge (a) by region, (b) by health authority and (c) by trust in (i) numbers and (ii) percentage terms for (A) Q2 2001–02 and (B) the most recent figures available; what the reasons for delayed discharge were; and how many people were waiting (1) 0 to eight (2) eight to 14, (3) 14 to 21, (4) 21 to 28, (5) 28 to 35, (6) 35 to 42, (7) 42 to 49 and (8) 49 to 56 days.

Jacqui Smith: Information from Quarter 2 of 2001–02 on the numbers and percentage of delayed discharges at regional and health authority level, together with the reasons for delay and the numbers of people waiting one to eight days, eight to 14 days, 14 to 28 days and over 28 days has been placed in the Library. The other information requested is not available centrally. The data for the third quarter of 2001–02 will be available in mid-February.

Mortality Rates

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to monitor the mortality rate for those re-admitted over 75 years of age (a) in re-admission and (b) within 30 days of re-admission; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Information is collected on mortality in hospital and within 30 days of discharge, but not separately following re-admission to hospital.

Psychogeriatricians

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many psychogeriatricians (a) there were in England by region in the last five years and (b) he estimates there will be in post in the next five years.

John Hutton: The information requested is in the table.
	Latest projections suggest that by 2006 there will be an additional 143 trained specialists available to work within the specialty.
	
		Hospital medical staff within the old age psychiatry speciality by region -- As at 30 SeptemberNumber
		
			  1996 1997 1998 1999 2000  
			  All staff Consultant All staff Consultant All staff Consultant All staff Consultant All staff Consultant 
		
		
			 England 640 230 710 240 760 270 820 310 860 330 
			
			 Eastern 60 20 70 20 70 30 70 30 80 30 
			 London 100 40 110 40 120 40 110 40 130 50 
			 North West 60 20 60 20 70 30 90 40 80 40 
			 Northern and Yorkshire 90 40 100 50 120 60 150 70 130 60 
			 South East 130 40 140 40 150 40 160 50 170 60 
			 South Eastern 60 20 60 20 60 20 70 20 70 20 
			 Trent 90 30 100 30 110 30 100 30 120 30 
			 West Midlands 70 30 80 30 70 30 80 40 80 40 
		
	
	Note:
	Where regions are shown, staff holding appointments in more than one region are included separately in each region. The sum of regional totals therefore differs slightly from the England total and a direct comparison between England totals is not advised.
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental work force census

Hospital Practitioners

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long investigations into allegations of professional misconduct for hospital practitioners and the final judgment have taken for the last five years; and what the status is of the person under investigation while the complaint is being processed.

John Hutton: The General Medical Council does not collect data showing the time taken to conclude cases. Each case varies in complexity and length.
	Unless an order has been made by the Interim Orders Committee, a doctor under investigation is free to practise pending conclusion of the case. However, after the screening decision to proceed with an investigation, the GMC notifies the doctor's employer who may take steps in relation to the doctor's continued employment.

Hospital Practitioners

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers the General Medical Council has to discipline hospital practitioners who are found to have been guilty of (a) serious professional misconduct and (b) other less serious misconduct charges.

John Hutton: When the General Medical Council's Professional Conduct Committee has found a doctor guilty of serious professional misconduct, it can issue a reprimand to the doctor, impose conditions on a doctor's practice for up to three years, suspend the doctor's registration for up to 12 months, which may be renewed, or erase the doctor's name from the register. At present the Professional Conduct Committee has no other powers. The GMC has made proposals for dealing with less serious charges and the Government will be considering how these might be implemented.

Hospital Practitioners

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints about the conduct of hospital practitioners have been received in each year from 1997.

John Hutton: National data collection on complaints includes data on the number of complaints made by profession, and separately on the subject of complaint.
	The table shows the total number of complaints, complaints against medical staff, and what percentage of the total the latter represents. The complaints against medical staff cover a range of issues and not only questions of conduct.
	
		Hospital and community health services
		
			   2000–01 1999–2000 1998–99 1997–98 
		
		
			 Total number of complaints 95,994 86,536 86,013 88,757 
			 Complaints against medical staff 43,930 38,261 37,382 36,883 
			 Percentage of total 45.7 44.2 43.4 41.5 
		
	
	The number of complaints received by the GMC about doctor's conduct are as follows:
	
		
			 Year Number 
		
		
			 2000 4,343 
			 1999 3,001 
			 1998 3,066 
			 1997 2,687 
		
	
	The figures for 2001 are not yet published but the indications are that the 2001 figure is similar to the 2000 figure.

Hospital Practitioners

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures have been introduced since 1997 (a) to speed up the complaints process against hospital practitioners and (b) to increase the powers of the General Medical Council.

John Hutton: In August 2000 the Medical Practitioners Act 1978 was amended to widen the General Medical Council's powers to act swiftly and effectively when a doctor's fitness to practise is first called into question. It introduced a minimum five-year period before a doctor who has been struck off the register may apply for restoration. It also enabled the GMC to co-opt non- members of the Council to any of its committees chiefly to help tackle the backlog of cases.
	The GMC have committed themselves to new service standards including that by May 2002, except in exceptional circumstances, cases are to be heard by the Professional Conduct Committee within a year of referral by the Preliminary Proceedings Committee.

Hospital Practitioners

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulations are in use to discipline hospital medical practitioners.

John Hutton: The Department issued (Disciplinary Procedures for Hospital and Community Medical and Dental Staff) Health Circular(90)9 in 1990, a copy of which is in the Library. This sets out the procedures for handling disciplinary issues for medical and dental staff on nationally negotiated terms and conditions of service. These arrangements are now under review to make sure they meet the needs of the modern national health service.

Registrars

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of registrars in the NHS went into full-time general practice in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

John Hutton: The information is not available in the form requested.
	Analysis of recent information on new entrants suggests that around two thirds of general practice registrars take up a permanent appointment in general practice within five years of qualifying.

Private Sector Nursing Homes

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is in relation to the level of fees paid by the public sector to private sector nursing homes for care of the elderly; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: In our recently published agreement with the statutory and the independent social care, health care and housing sectors—"Building Capacity and Partnership in Care"—we make clear that contract fees should not be set mechanistically but should take into account the legitimate current and future costs faced by providers as well as the planned outcomes for people using services.

Trust Merger

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to announce his decision on the proposed merger of the Princess Royal Hospital Trust and the Royal Sussex County Hospital Trust.

Hazel Blears: The announcement of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's decision on the proposed merger of the Princess Royal Hospital (Mid-Sussex National Health Service Trust) and the Royal Sussex County Hospital (Brighton Healthcare NHS Trust) was made at 11.00 on 18 January.

Social Services (Older People)

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the criteria by which the money made available in 2002–04 to improve services for older people and speed discharge from hospital was allocated.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 15 January 2002
	All councils received additional funding through the Building Care Capacity Grant. The 55 councils of the highest rates, and the most severe problems, of delayed discharge received extra funding. The extra funding to these councils reflected the rate of delayed discharge in that council's area in summer 2001. These councils will, therefore, be subject to tighter conditions and closer monitoring.
	The same criteria were used to distribute the £190 million available for councils through this grant in 2002–03.